Anakin and AmidalaLove found
by sabrelight
Summary: Anakin and Amidala-Anakin and Amidala have just married secretly. Anakin and Amidala are at the army base but will they get a chance to meet in private?
1. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 1

Anakin raced madly through the catacomb of corridors within Theed palace, Adroitly guiding the speeder through the crisscross of droid fire, which seemed to be coming from every corner of the palace.   
Moving at an incredible speed through the narrow corridors he needed every ounce of his Jedi instincts and reflexes to avoid crashing to the walls.  
Even then they would have been sitting ducks, if the Queen, seated behind him was not as skillfully picking up targets with her blaster-making the enemy take cover-and giving them enough room to maneuver. The years of training on the firing range had made her a deadly shot.  
  
Nearly ten years after that fateful invasion by the trade federation, in which hundreds of peaceful Naboo had lost their lives, the planet, enjoyed relative peace and stability. Their Sovereign Queen Amidala had ruled with wisdom, the war and its destructive reminders were gone. Naboo had prospered much and the queen was very popular with her people-except a handful of bureaucrats, who had once enjoyed unbridled power but their authority had been curbed much in Amidala's reign. They were growing impatient; it seemed there was no way to remove her the democratic way. Time and again she had been re-elected to lead the people, frustrating her political rivals, who came out with new election strategies each election year, only to be completely routed by her again and again.  
  
This very popularity was now threatening her life.  
Just days before the queen had been attacked, by a palace servant with a chi dagger-daggers that have poisoned blades. Had Anakin not been around to cut him down with his lightsaber, she would not have survived, for, even a small scratch from a chi could be fatal. It seemed her enemies were getting desperate, they were now ready to try any thing to be in power.  
  
  
Agent Burk, a trusted servant of the queen arrived one day, asking to see the Queen immediately, saying that he had very important news for the Queen and that he had to meet the queen personally. The queen met him in her private office, in the administrative block of the palace. She was very alarmed by the news he had to give. The queen called an emergency meeting of her council to discuss this new development.  
  
Burk gave details of a rebel army that had been training for sometime now in the Western Mountains. He said that he had come across details of an attack on the queen. According to the plan group of rebels would attack the palace, after assassinating the queen and securing the palace, the very people who were behind the plot would come forward and squash the rebellion. Exemplary punishment would be met out to the leaders of the rebellion (at least overtly) thus avenging the queen and saving the planet from chaos and anarchy. By avenging the queen they would earn the approval of the populace and their votes too.  
  
The queen suspected palace insiders to be involved in this plot. She could name a few who would love to be in her place, but there was no solid evidence to incriminate any one.  
They were very clever hiding behind their pawns and manipulating them from afar making sure their dirty fingers didn't leave any imprints anywhere.  
  
Burk reported that a man called Captain Halle was leading the rebellion. Not much was known about him, except that he was an ex-mercenary. The report said that the size of this army was quite large. This surprised her because Naboo people including the gungans and swamp tribes were not good candidates as rebel recruits. Either this was a misinformation, which she doubted because the agent was a reliable one, or the rebel army was comprised of off-world mercenaries, which to her seemed more likely.  
  
After considerable debate, it was agreed that the queen's life was in great danger, she had to be protected at any cost to foil the rebel plans.  
Because she was an obstacle to the power plans of these people they would not spare her life at any cost. It was decided that the queen should go to a safe place till this was all sorted out.  
Captain Panaka was advised to call up for his recruits and mobilizes the army. Burk's men were to stay low and try to find out the identities of the main players of this plot.  
  
As no place on the planet was quite safe, the council decided that the queen should seek asylum on another world friendly to their government.  
According to plan the Queen decided to make an unofficial visit-surreptitiously-to the planet of Khandara, Which was a reliable ally of Naboo. The Naboo had helped them in their time of adversity. The Queen had good personal relations with the leader of that planet-the old Haji-who had been chief tribal leader for over five decades. The queen was sure she could rally his support and help her save her people against yet another attack on their peace and independence. Khandarians were, the queen assured the council "not ones to forget when it came to repaying gratitude"  
  
After the trade federation war, Naboo made several changes to their constitutional laws. One of them being the formation of a regular army, along with making one year service in the army, compulsory for all adult Naboo citizens. But even with these new measures the security requirements of the planet could not be met adequately   
Small Naboo depended mostly on the assurances of the republic, which made new laws to insure the independence of smaller planets; the laws even promised military intervention to preserve the sovereignty of all the member planets from outside threats. But all the laws of the republic could not help Naboo this time  
She was under a new threat this time. A threat; from within.  
  
The Queen had called in her head of security captain Panaka along with her jedi protector Master Obi-wan Kanobi, and a couple of Panaka's men to discuss the details of the escape. The meeting was held in strict confidence, as the rebel spies had infiltrated all strata of the palace staff.  
  
It was decided that captain Panaka would arrange an outing for the Queen, her handmaidens and some selected confidants on Lake Zamron, on the out skirt of Theed City.  
The Queen would go in the official transport, joined by two handmaidens and guards, but instead of the real Queen it would be her decoy Sabe, who would be travelling in the royal transport. While public attention was focused on Sabe, Amidala disguised as a handmaiden would slip out of Theed city on Anakin's ship, which he lovingly called "the Sith', the one that they had captured after the fall of the trade federation.   
  
The Sith infiltrator was originally Darth Maul's personal transport but after the Federation's defeat in the trade war and Mauls death it came into Naboo hands. Anakin had fallen in love with it the moment he had seen it.  
Manufactured by Sienar Designs Systems. Originally an armed star courier but customized secretly by Darth Sidious to serve as a Sith Infiltrator. Featuring laser cannons, advanced sensor systems and an experimental ion engine system requiring large radiator panels which folded inward during landing. Its most dangerous aspect though was is its cloaking ability, able to appear and disappear like a flickering ghost.  
  
The Queen thought it fit to reward Anakin with this ship for his bravery that day. Obiwan and the Queen both decided he would not get actual possession till he was eighteen years old. Till then it would sit here in Naboo.   
  
The Sith craft's excellent cloaking capabilities and maneuverability made it the transport of choice for such an escape. With Anakin at the controls it was unstoppable. The royal ship though was more susceptible as it was unarmed. And it stood out like a sore thump when it came to sneaking. The queen could not escape in it, as she would be noticed. And it was out of the question for a handmaiden to use it on a private trip. So while Halle's men were watching the Royal Cruiser the queen would slip by in the Sith. Anakin-who at the time was working on a top secret military project at the ultra secret Thal Weil military base-was called up to bring the Sith to Theed.  
  
Amidala feared for Sabe's safety, as she would obviously be more exposed to danger. Obiwan and captain Panaka along with two contingents of palace guards were assigned to her safety. A small group consisting of two handmaiden and four guards and of course Anakin was assigned to Amidala's safety, small so as not to arouse any suspicion as they sneaked out to the hanger.   
  
Captain Panaka was apprehensive though, about the arrangement as he did not believe a jedi student, hardly out of his teens, could be entrusted with such a heavy responsibility, but Obiwan had complete trust in his padawan's abilities. Besides, he argued if one of us were to be seen guarding any one other than the queen people would wonder why? Panaka decided that Obiwan had a point there. So it was agreed that Anakin would escort the Queen to the secret base.  



	2. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 2

The Queen's party would leave by boat to an island on the other side of the lake where a waiting bongo would spirit them away through an underwater cave that joins the main underwater route. Once in the underwater labyrinths, there would be in no danger of being discovered.  
  
Naboo planet was practically made up of a maze of intervening bodies of water and rock. The surface of the planet was covered mostly in swamp, except for islands of solid rock out cropping here and there. Low hills and flat rolling plains stretched to the east and southeast. The only mountains of significant height were situated to the west. There were occasional bodies of water, huge lakes dotting the surface of the planet. Caves and underwater tunnels interconnected the majority of water bodies.  
  
One could travel to any part of the planet within these tunnels. But it was extremely dangerous, a huge variety of animals, some still to be discovered, lurked in these dark waters. These route though dangerous were not impossible to cross, with a good guide-a Gungan guide- one had a much better chance of making it to ones destination in the quickest time.  
  
Once on their way they would head for Thal Weil a dense swamp to the northwest. There, Sabe's party would meet up with the queen's party and after a short inspection of the facility by the Queen they would take off for Khandara.  
  
That cleared, Queen Amidala brought up the question of the droid army, which made up a considerable part of their regular army. The leftover of the federation forces; these had been refurbished and reprogrammed to follow Nubian orders. But Queen Amidala never did trust them. She preferred her human guards to the droids, especially to guard the palace. Though the droids were invaluable for patrolling and monitoring the swamps and other outlying areas of the planet.   
  
The droid control center was located several hundred miles to the west on mount Nagob, amongst the highest peaks in Naboo. Though Panaka had assured the Queen that the center had been well fortified with heavy guns and more than a hundred soldiers to keep constant guard. The Captain was certain the high peaks and the shear slopes around the facility made it impossible to any breach from outside.  
  
Amidala though, had not been convinced; she had secretly constructed another control center in the swamps of Thal Weil, for emergency purposes. This one practically under the swamps and it had cost a good chunk of the budget. Which to Panaka had seemed a superfluous expense, considering the fact that they would need all their resources for the Freepios project.  
  
All had gone as planned. The queens' luggage had been smuggled aboard the boat, the night before. Sabe and her party left for the picnic. As it was a holiday, and nice sunny weather to go with it, a large percentage of the populace lined both side of the street to see their queen go by.  
The trip was made without a hitch.  
  
Meanwhile Padme dressed in a loose, a maroon colored robe-her face well covered under the hood- was giving last minute instructions to Governor Sio Bibble-who would take over the administrative duties in her absence. Just then a sharp siren sounded through the palace, the Queen knew what it was-an attack on the palace. Somehow the enemy had found out, and now here escape was being blocked. The guards rushed to cover the palace doors.   
  
"Let's go," Anakin shouted. Their cover had been blown. Who ever the enemy was knew that the real Queen was in the palace and probably knew of their plan of escape. They all ran towards the hanger-sure that the guards could hold out for just long enough, and they would have, if they would not have to deal with what seems like hundreds of droids that were streaming from all parts of the city, all heading for the palace.   
Already a squadron of droids was crashing through the door, getting past the handful of palace guards easily.   
  
"My worst fears have been realized!" Amidala said, as she looked at the wave after wave of droid soldiers pouring into the palace grounds.  
She flung her cumbersome robe away and so did the other handmaidens. They wore their combat brown suits under their robes.  
"To the White section!" she beckoned her party; too late! The droids were already inside the palace and spreading out-shooting every thing in sight.  
  
They raced up the stairs to the second floor with Anakin leading the way, followed by the queen and the others,  
"We have to split up!" He shouted above the din. The party broke into two teams, each team running in a different direction in search of the numerous secret escape routes that had been among the options discussed earlier.  
  
Amidala wished luck to her friends and disappeared up the stairs to the next floor, just as droid soldiers came into the big hall. Some of the droid turned to chase after the guards and handmaidens retreating on either side of the great hallway, the main body of the soldiers, though, ran after the Queen and Anakin. They seemed to know what they were after.   
  
Anakin, his lightsabre ready ran on, the queen in tow, he nearly surprised some droids while rounding a corner. He had the droids in pieces even before they were aware of it.   
  
Droids being at a disadvantage in close combat, because they have to process their decisions, which make them, slow to act-certainly no match for the swift thinking Jedi. More droids were coming as the pair fled. They ran up another two floors, till they were cornered besides a thick pillar with no where else to go. Amidala took position behind the pillar and kept firing. Anakin's sword was a blur as he deflected the blaster shots back into he enemy. Soon they had a pile of mangled metal before them. Anakin was heading for the stairs again, when the queen stopped him,   
  
"We can't go that way," "All the secret passages are mostly on the lower floors." She informed him.  
"Well I'm heading for my room where I have a means of escape."  
" What do you mean?" The queen asked.   
"Your highness there is no time to argue." Anakin said, grabbing her arm and ready to move.  
  
Just then his comlink buzzed.  
"Skywalker here," he said switching it on, as they trotted away in the direction of the guest rooms- "Calken here Sir! We have the Sith,"  
" You do! Good!" Anakin said his face lighting up.  
"It seems those droids were mostly interested in the queen, we found a side route to hanger 3 only a handful of droids in guarding it. We had no problem taking them." Calken said "Sir head for the roof we'll be waiting there." He finished.  
"The girls? What about the girls" Anakin asked still running only this time they were heading for the roof  
"The girls are safe here with me. All of us made it safely to the ship." Calken informed them. The Queen was relieved to hear that. "Okay Calken we're heading for the roof we will be there in two minutes." Anakin said.  
  
Surprisingly they reached the roof without much resistance. Anakin didn't like the creepy feeling overtaking him, but had no time to dwell into it; he had to catch the ship now.   
  
At last they reached the roof, Amidala quite out of breath. They ran to an open part of the roof, sure enough there was his beloved "Sith" hovering just above the roof as it banked low, its ramp already coming down from the aft. They ran towards the ship. Blaster shots rang out before it could land or come low enough for them to board it. Anakin saw that the roof was already swarming with droids.   
  
Coming out of every dark corner here and there. It seemed the enemy been expecting them- the comm chat between Calken him had been intercepted. The two were surrounded with no option but to surrender. Human soldiers in palace guard uniforms, advanced cautiously on them, pointing their blasters menacingly at them. Anakin saw death and murder in their eyes.   
  
Suddenly Anakin grabbed the Queen by the waist as he made a leap for the Sith which the pilot had brought round for another pass. Amidala held tight as they flew at least twenty feet into the air. Anakin made a neat landing on the ramp of the craft but before he could get a firm hold, the Sith banked steeply as it got a direct hit on one of the vertical stabilizers.  
Amidala screamed as Anakin seemed to tether on the ramp for a split second waving his free hand wildly trying to get his balance, and then they were over the side and falling into empty space.  
  
The Ship rolled and banked wildly as it rose into the sky, plumes of smoke emitting from it as it disappeared into the haze in the direction of the swamps.  
  
They seemed to be falling into an endless void. Amidala clutched Anakin tightly, she was sure she would not survive this one. Then they landed, on one of the huge terraces that opened out to the waterfalls. Not with a jarring thud as she had expected but a with soft thump from Anakin's boots.  
  
Putting her down, he grabbed her hand and was running again right for the railing. Once again she was hoisted up by the waist and pulled up onto the wide balcony railing. Anakin looked around, hesitating for just a split second, taking a quick measure of the location down below and then his mind was made up.  
  
Amidala's stomach lurched as she looked down at the wildly churning broth at the foot of the Great Falls, hundreds of feet below. She couldn't believe it when she realized what his intentions were.  
  
"Anakin NO!" too late they were already airborne. Soaring over the yawning gap to the guest balconies-She shut her eyes. Feeling herself fall for what seemed like eternity, when suddenly her breath was knocked out of her as Anakin grabbed for the balcony railing on one of the lower floors.  
  
The jar yanking her out of Anakin's hold, he grabbed out and just managed to get her arm. There was Anakin one arm and foot over the railing and rest of him hanging out. The weight of the struggling Queen holding him there as she flayed about helplessly in midair. She could see the roaring falls deep below her feet. Anakin's hold was slipping, he tried to support her with his free foot. she grabbed his leg, clutching to it with all her might. With hands free he hauled himself over the railing.  
  
The sudden jerk again had the queen slipping. She screamed but no one heard her over the roar of the falls. She grasped onto his foot her knuckle white as she strained to keep her precarious hold, praying his boot would not come loose. Anakin pulled his leg up carefully, then grabbing her by the hand he pulled her over the rails. Trembling like a leaf, she clung to Anakin in an effort to calm her shaking body. But there was no time for to comfort her.   
  
The Balconies above had protected them, so far, from direct fire from the roof, but now several STAPs-Single trooper aerial platforms-skeletal vehicles made of handles and footholds supporting one droid in standing position-were heading their way. He tore away Amidala's arms from around his neck and dashed away with her to the far corner of the balcony. There it was, the Sith speeder bike, their last means of escape. He quietly thanked Maul for his benevolence, as he mounted it.  
  
The unarmed speeder's only special equipment was a high-acceleration engine. Shaped like a curved fish shape it was amazingly fast and able to cut tight corners at high speeds. The open design gave superb visibility.  
  
Amidala sat behind him, her blaster ready looking around for droids-He marveled at how fast she had recovered from her shock. Anakin hit the ignition. He had the speeder shooting for the open area off to the right of the balcony but another squad of STAPs came round the far corner. Finding his path blocked on all sides he veered sharply back towards the slide doors. Using the force to push open the slide door he drove in full thrust into the room, closing the thick glass doors behind him.   
  
He had reach the heavy wooden doors of the room when he heard the glass smash as two STAPs crashed through. By the time they were in any position to fire he was out of the door and into a wide long corridor. Amidala's blaster was waiting for them as they followed out of the door. Down the corridors they shot, Amidala blasting away back and front to clear the way of mostly, surprised droids they met there.  
  
More droids on STAPs crashed in through the corridor window, heading straight for them in a bid to block their way. The pair was now sandwiched between the oncoming and pursuing droids. With a deft move Anakin had the bike turn left into a wide lobby, the droids didn't see it coming. The two squads crashed into each other with a deafening explosion, sending pieces of metal flying every where.  
  
"Another welcoming party to receive the Queen," Anakin joked as more droids moved out from connecting corridors in an effort to block their path. The buzz and flash of blasters followed them as Anakin swung the bike up, down and from side to side dodging their fire, with uncanny accuracy.  
  
The droid commander informed his men to close off the main exits of the building. But Anakin was not heading for the exit, to their surprise he turned left into a cavernous hall at the end of which was a huge window overlooking the swamps, behind the cliff on which the palace sits. Amidala was shooting away and droids fell every where.   
  
"Brace yourself" Anakin, shouted, as they smashed through the window. Bringing down the whole antiquated structure of the mosaic window to the ground, the huge pieces of tranparisteel shattering against the marble floor with deafening crescendo, drowning out the ping ping of the droid fire that rang out even when the fugitives were gone.  
  
  
By the time the droids got to the window, the speeder was a dark spec, disappearing in a steep arch down towards the mist-shrouded jungle of 'The swamp of misery'. Thick smoke trailing from behind the speeder.  



	3. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 3

The speeder went down at an alarming speed, into the thick clouded soup, not knowing what to expect Anakin and his passenger braced for impact. The speeder hit the surface of the lake with a thunderous splash, spraying tons of water into the mist above.   
  
Anakin was off the speeder even before it reached the bottom   
Swimming wildly and dragging the queen along. It seemed like eternity before they broke the surface of the lake. He had time enough to gasp for some air before he had to duck underwater again. The place was swarming with STAPS.   
  
Though he could not see them through the thick mist, he recognized the unmistakable sharp whining of the STAP's, able to travel swiftly even through dense vegetation and the fact that it was armed with blasters made it an effective and lethal patrol vehicle in the swamps.   
  
The queen seemed to be having some trouble keeping under. He took out his portable-breathing device, breathing it in turns with Amidala. Noiselessly they swam away from the center of activity, going in deeper into the murky water. They swam quite a distance before Anakin could risk sticking his head out of the water again. Looking round he spotted a rock grotto jutting out of the water, some distance to the left and away from where all activity was going on.  
  
He heard the sound of heavier vehicle arriving to support the STAPs. Sharp stabs of light would pierce the mist here and there, as the spotlights fanned the lake surface. They had to get cover as soon as possible.   
"I think I'm hurt" Amidala gasped, and he saw why she was responding so slowly. There was an ugly long gash on her left arm and blood was spewing out of it.   
  
Just then he heard a STAP head their way and they both had to dive again. He swam wildly, this time fired by a new danger, dragging Amidala behind him-she had lost too much blood, he had to get her on dry land and stop the bleeding before it was too late. He sensed danger, a new danger, a dark presence was stalking him. The blood! It was attracting the predators-for, which this swamp was so famous.  
  
He swam away furiously toward the bank, he ran the remaining few meters as soon as his feet hit solid ground, throwing around a lot of water. But he did not stop. He rushed on up the bank in great haste, dragging his burden behind him. At the same moment a hulking dark shadow broke the water in pursuit, without stopping Anakin glanced back, a hideous looking Pramodion roared angrily at being deprived of it dinner, then it silently sunk back into its murky den.   
  
Anakin was breathless; he slumped next to the crumpled shape lying face down on the ground that was the Queen. "That was close he whispered", but she did not move. Anakin sat up and tried to shake her into action. But she still didn't move. He   
  
Turned her around and a pale face with blank eyes stared back at him. Her lips were deathly blue.   
He used the force to revive her. Soon he had her spluttering and coughing out mouthfuls of swamp water. She lay on the wet muddy ground, face down, utterly exhausted.   
  
As soon as she was breathing, he helped her up, and hurried her into the cover of thick trees. He could hear the droid vehicles in the distance. Putting his arm around her he hurried further from the direction of the noise.   
  
Deeper and deeper they went, the dark jungle swallowing them. I can't go much further" the Queen moaned, I feel so faint. Anakin surveyed the jungle around him, before he decided that it was safe for them to take a break.   
  
Amidala was holding her left arm, blood was oozing through her fingers. He helped her to a nearby tree and made her sit on a giant gnarled root. He examined the wound; it was long and quite deep, the sleeve and the skin around the wound was charred, suggesting a blaster shot. He cleaned and dressed the wound with a piece of cloth from his shirt; not much of a bandage but it stopped the bleeding.   
He was sure that she needed proper medical care or it could become gangrenous.   
  
It was late afternoon, the sky was turning into a metallic gray sheet, the mist was less pronounced here than on the lake. He could hear muffled thunder in the distance.   
  
Rain was a common feature of Naboo. At first he was delighted by it, because it was so rare on his home planet of Tatooine. But here it was abundant, especially in the swamps. In Naboo the sun brought with it light and water to the citizens of Theed most of the year. With the rising of the sun. The swamps become hot and humid, forming little clouds that rose up in the suns relentless heat, and floated to the Aspana range, where the cool weather condensed it to rain.   
  
Small rivers born at the foot of the range flowed on to become one single majestic river "The Theed River". The river nurtured Theed city year round, coming to its end in a grand finale near the palace and tumbling down in a beautiful show over the lip of The old rim, flowing back into the swamps, it's birth place to start the cycle anew.   
  
That cycle was threatening them now, the thunder rumbled louder and louder. Anakin looked at the ominous clouds, "Your majesty we must find cover before those clouds break up," he said.   
  
Amidala tried to stand, as soon as she did-every thing started spinning and she blanked out. Luckily Anakin had caught her before she hit the ground. So with the Queen draped on his arms like a piece of Zinju silk he picked his way through mud and vegetation towards a small promontory jutting out from the swamp.   
  
Thick mist enveloped it. Anakin reached through the force to guide him. He spotted some caves up the slope and was headed towards it. He looked around for any stray STAPs patrolling the area before he broke the cover of the trees. But the buzz of activity was the on lake now far behind them.   
  
The rain would definitely interrupt their little operation, as droids did not take well to moisture.   
  



	4. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 4

The cave had a narrow opening but inside it was quite roomy. The burnt out fire in the corner and strewn bush and branches testified to the fact that the cave was a regular port of refuge-probably for tribal hunters trapped due to rain or nightfall. He propped the unconcious Queen against a boulder. Gathering some shrubs and moss he fashioned a bed for her and laid her gently on it. He removed his cloak in order to cover her with it, but it was wet and grimy with mud. He decided to give it a wash first.   
  
Amidala was jolted out of her dreams, screaming. Her heart beating wildly as she looked around to find her self all alone in an unfamiliar place. It was raining steadily by now. Three pieces of jedi garments lay draped over various rocks, but there was no sign of Anakin. She nearly fainted again when she turned and saw a dark silhouette, of a man standing at the mouth of the cave. She was about to scream.   
  
'It's me your majesty,' Anakin quickly assured her.   
  
He came in drenched to the bones.   
  
  
I have collected some medicinal plants that'll help that wound heal. It's also an excellent painkiller. I will first have to pound it before you can have it." As he came down to kneel besides her touching her forehead, he realized she had a high fever.   
  
Anakin covered the cave opening with bushes and twigs he had collected from the jungle. The young jedi then, arranged the dry wood and bushes that were strewn around om the cave floor into a small pile. Taking out his lightsaber, he clicked a button on the end of the silver handle, but nothing happened. He dried it with one of his garments. Then he tried again, this time a strong blue bolt of light whizzed out from the end of the handle, he held the glowing end to a dry bush and soon he had a good fire going.   
  
He took some stones and began pounding the plants, the sounds resounding in dull thuds around the cave interior his shadow dancing on the walls stretching out right to the roof of the cave.   
  
  
Anakin was by her side now, holding out a greenish yellow paste for her to take. She gulped as she looked at the unsavory lump he held on the tip of his fingers. Hesitating to take it, she turned her head away from it. But Anakin insisted.  
  
"If you want your arm then you will HAVE to take it." He said sternly.   
  
The determination in his voice gave her no choice. He sounded like he wouldn't hesitate to get her to eat it, even if he had to hold her by her hair and force it down her mouth. Reluctantly she opened her mouth, and forced the bitter mixture down, feeling she would gag on it.   
  
He then filled some of the soggy stuff into her open wound. The searing pain brought tears to her eyes. But she held it back, too proud to break down before this boy. The concoction seemed to work, because she soon slipped into a deep sleep.   
  
Anakin sat back in the darkened cave and looked at the flames dancing on the fire. He was thinking of his next move. From what he knew the swamp was a very inhospitable place for two unarmed humans. Amidala's injury made her more vulnerable to the ravages of a trip across the swamp.   
  
Obiwan always made sure they were well grounded on their assignment before they left for any mission. He was glad for it now. As far as his researched had told him, the Capa people were the only human inhabitants of the swamps this side of Theed.  
  
They were not exactly swamp dwellers as their land was situated mostly on a raised fertile plateau in the middle of the endless swamp. The Capa lived in a lush valley in a mountain chain that cut through the swamp between Theed highlands and Thal Weil. But they did not have much interactions with the other tribes of Naboo, only occasionally for trade purposes did they mix with outsiders.   
  
Crossing this range would be difficult, as it had no easily accessible passes or gaps-at least non-on the maps he had seen. Skirting it would make the trip much longer and more dangerous.   
He needed a Capa tribesman to guide him through Capaland. Anakin decided that he had to contact the Capa some how in order to get the queen safely to Thal Weil on the far side of the swamp. But he needed transport, without transport he could not expect to get very far. How he wished he had his speeder now.   
  
At this moment his patient moaned restlessly in her sleep. She called out his name several times, then she screamed. Anakin was by her side as she clung to him shivering uncontrollably. She had been dreaming again-of falling into the raging falls. He held her to him, calming her down with the force till she was asleep again.   
  
Her forehead was hot against his bare chest; she looked very, very sick. He laid her back on the makeshift bed and covered her with his cloak, and then he piled the remaining garments on top of her too. Staring at her flushed face, he made up his mind there and then. The speeder had to be retrieved. He needed those medicines in the speeder's first aid box   
  
  
  
  
It was past daybreak when Amidala stirred in her bed. She looked around her in surprise before she realized where she was. One look at her bandaged arm and she knew it was no dream.   
  
The floor was strewn with machine parts and Anakin was sitting in the midst of it bent over a skeleton of a structure, which resembled a speeder bike.   
  
"Anakin", she called.  
  
Anakin wheeled around startled.   
  
"Where did you get that thing!" She asked in a surprised tone.  
  
"I fished it out of the swamps" he said.   
  
"You what?" she ask incredulously. "You risked your life in that monster-infested lake for something that might not even work."  
  
"There's no other choice your majesty," he started defensively. "We don't have a half a chance of getting to our destination without this." He said pointing to the bike.   
  
Anakin concluded that the Queen had indeed recovered. The antibiotic shot from the speeder, which he had given her last night, had definitely been effective.   
He gave her some food he had cooked on the fire during the night.   
  
Anakin was thankful for the rains. It would mean the search operation would have to be delayed yet again. He needed just a couple of hours more to work on his bike, he thought as he stretched out on the bare floor for an hour of much needed sleep.   
  



	5. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 5

Amidala felt much stronger after she had eaten. She looked herself over, she was a mess. She decided to clean herself up at the brook inside the cave that Anakin had mentioned. Groping on the wall to steady her, Amidala made for an opening in the side of the cave from where she heard the babbling of the brook. She picked up Anakin's thick cloak along the way.   
  
After she had finished her bath she wrapped Anakin's cloak around her. It was way too big for her, the hems dragging behind her, but was soft and warm.   
  
She hurried back to the main cave tripping on the cloak just as she entered. Anakin caught her before she fell. She clung to him, wallowing in the security of his strong arms. An uneasy hush pervaded the cave as the two stared up at each other, the air around them seemed almost to crackle with the tension. Then suddenly she broke away and scampered to the pile of branches that was her bed.   
  
Amidala was Silent reproaching herself for her gushy behavior. "What's come over you," she scolded her self. Hugging her arms to stop the shaking that had over taken her. "You're the Queen she reminded herself not some love struck teenager. She sat on the makeshift bed with her back to the man still standing there in the middle of the cave.   
  
"Your highness you should have informed me before you went off like that," Anakin said in an effort to dispel the awkward silence.   
  
"I would have notified you if you were my handmaiden, she said turning to him.   
  
  
The dappled rays of the sun coming through the bushes painted a geometric design of light and dark on his face. Through the light she noticed the brave Jedi, hero of Naboo blush red from ear to ear.   
  
"Ah! She thought I've embarrassed him, that's a bit heartening, she thought to her self knowing that she was not the only one to be so unsettled. "Wonder what he would've done if I'd asked him to scrub my back."   
  
Amidala smiled at the thought then burst out laughing. Anakin cringed. His hulking frame seemed to shrink as he looked himself around, for something out of place.   
  
"What's so funny?" He asked.  
  
" Oh force I do hope the cold water hasn't given her a brain fever or something." He'd never seen her act so..so.. Goofy!   
  
"Oh it's nothing she said composing herself again. "I just remembered something, I'm sorry if I made you uneasy," She answered, reprimanding her self for acting so un-queenly. Nevertheless Anakin suddenly felt the spacious cave too tiny and cramped his journey too long and his burden too heavy.   
  
He had never exactly been at home with females other than the ones in the temple. The jedi whether male or female did not believe in giving one's self to this silly emotion.   
The Queen hadn't disturbed him much; he was very much at home with the cool and collected monarch. She had always been professional and business like with her interaction with him. Which had suited him fine.   
  
  
  
Padme! Well, she was another thing altogether, his little shining star in his little secret world. No one knew she existed-except Obiwan maybe. She had always been in his dreams. Seeing him through his most terrifying and lonely moments. When he was younger, She would sleep by his side and comb her fingers through his hair. He could never imagine sleeping without holding her hand. As he grew he was no longer afraid to sleep alone, but he could not think to sleep without holding her slender body close to him, feel her soft lips against his. A Fantasy, but one which meant a lot to him.   
  
Strangely enough Padme-never changed, she was still the same petite fourteen years old in his dreams, she even wore the same sack clothe dress that he'd seen her wearing on that fateful day in Wattoo's shop. Over the years he had given Padme a personality all her own, so much so that when he did meet Amidala for the first time over a year ago-after nearly nine years, he was surprised to note that he did not associate her in any way to his Padme.   
  
"No way," he thought to himself "can this stiff, masked women be his Padme." Her aloofness helped to enforce this view. Amidala was his Queen and sovereign, untouchable to any common man. And he considered himself a common man-better than a slave, but still a common man. So that's how things stood between them, until now that is.   
  
But Anakin could have sworn he had seen a glimpse of Padme, just for a second and then she had gone. He had been shocked, mesmerized speechless and dumbfounded. Strange warmth had pervaded his body, and emotions that were not in his power to control.   
  
Anakin knelt down besides her with the first aid box. He stoically began to dress the wound on her arm. Avoiding any eye contact. The Queen made small talk to put him at ease, but she sensed the tension in his rigid body language, "its all my fault." She thought.   
  
"Go to sleep, your majes…,"   
  
"Please call me Amidala," she interrupted. "I'm not in my court any more so please do away with the protocol."   
  
"That makes things more difficult." Anakin thought to himself.   
Amidala was tired after the effort of taking a bath and was soon asleep on her pallet   
  
Anakin stared at the sleeping queen's face.   
"She is the Queen! Anakin not your Padme," An inner voice warned him. "What can you offer her? Padme the peasant girl, wants you always for what you are and expects nothing in return." The voice reasoned. Anakin squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his fists till it hurt. "Padme! I love you," he whispered.   
  
  
  
  



	6. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 6

It was late afternoon when Amidala woke up. The fire was burning steadily. Anakin was busy with the bike, which was almost fully assembled. Only a few pieces of covering remained to be screwed on. He was intent on his work, not looking back. She noticed that he seemed a bit aloof somehow. Was he avoiding her?  
  
  
Amidala now all dressed in her combat suit-thanks to Anakin's thoughtfulness they were washed and dry when she woke up-sat on her pallet looking at Anakin put the finishing touches to his repair job.  
  
Anakin removed palmed size squares, of what looked like metal pieces of the same green color as the bike from the toolbox. With a small cutting tool he cut the pieces into various shapes and sizes, then removing the wrap sheet from under the metal pieces he placed them on top of the various holes on the bike. Within minutes the metal patch seemed to melt and blend into the chassis without even leaving a mark. Anakin repaired all the remaining holes. He made a final check around the bike. Then he nodded to her, "time to leave," he announced.  
  
Anakin was astride the speeder, cautiously igniting the engines; it kicked to life on the first try- purring softly. Amidala pulled away the bushes from the mouth of the cave. The sky was overcast, putting visibility to nil. Anakin handed her his cloak,  
She wrapped it around herself. He pulled the hood over her head to keep out the rain. Briefly their eyes met, just briefly, then he turned to look around the area one more time for any sign of danger. Amidala sat behind and clung tightly to him, apprehensive about leaving the safety of the cave.   
  
Anakin drew in a deep breath then flew out into the wild wind down the slope, hugging the ground closely. Raindrops stung his face as he headed for the cover of the trees. He kept the headlights on low intensity to avoid giving away his position to any unexpected patrol droid. Which was quite unlikely in this drizzle, still he preferred to play it safe.  
  



	7. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 7

'Impossible!' Minister Salin Basa was screaming at the rebel captain. "They couldn't have just disappeared into thin air? I want the dead bodies of those two at any cost. There is no time! Without solid evidence to prove the Queen's death the people will not be led to believe otherwise. This whole plan will fail if she turns up alive." He thundered.  
  
Salin Basa was one of the more ambitious ministers in the queen's cabinet. The day after the coup, the rebel forces had occupied the palace. All the Queen's sympathizers had been imprisoned, including Governor Sio Bibble.   
  
He had organized a gorilla base in the mountains outside the city.  
He instigated the population against the new establishment calling them the Queen's murderers. He soon had a large following of the common masses, who felt it their duty to fight for their Queen. He easily beat the rebels and took over the palace. The people had called him their hero, the savior of democracy.  
  
He had a grand funeral planned for the fallen queen. Her body would be paraded before her people in grand style. There would be lots of tears and he would benefit from sympathy for the queen. Every thing had worked out just right. Except, there was no queen to parade.  
  
"Damned that Jedi, who would've thought he'd head for the swamps?" He muttered under his breath. "Damn those wrangling mercenaries." "You're dumber than those tin droids," he screamed at their leader. "Failing miserably even if there is a minute deviation from the plan." He growled.   
  
"The queen was hit, their vehicle was hit and now you tell me there is no sign of them. Only this," he lifted a little golden blaster, "to show after 48 hours of searching." "Perhaps the animals got them" Halle murmured almost to himself. "And the speeder? Salin hissed, "perhaps the fish digested that too?" Halle felt dumber.  
  
Sio Bibble had been charged with the rebellion. Most of the Queen's loyal servants found in the palace were charged with treachery. The rebel leaders had testified against them.   
  
Halle had ordered his men to search the lake surroundings minutely for any signs of the missing pair.  
The search team did not find any thing, but they did find the cave, which contained plenty of evidence of at least two people having inhibited it recently.   
  
The grease stains and discarded burnt wire removed any doubt as to the Queens health. They were alive and on the run.  
The fact that the escapees had transport put the search into a wider circle. They also knew that the queen had been injured and was probably very weak from loss of blood.  



	8. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 8

Anakin wasn't making much headway in the dark. He needed all his concentration to negotiate the dense growth in the darkness, the instruments light, throwing a yellow glow on his face.  
Nothing stopped them; occasionally they came across small animals hunting for food here and there. Dawn broke, slowly changing the horizon from velvet black to a deep purple to pink. Occasional cotton white clouds dotted the clear sky here and there, floating lazily across the otherwise clear sky. As if on cue all at once the jungle broke into a grand symphony of chirping and twittering.  
  
Behind him Amidala moved. Awakened by the sweet melody. She opened one lazy eye. The cool morning breeze on her cheeks tempted her to close them again. But the commotion, oh! what a commotion. First thing Amidala noticed was that they were no longer in the swamped, the air smelt of spring blossoms-not the dank wet smell of the swamps. The terrain had changed considerably. The ground was more solid and lush green. She spotted a brook, babbling away gaily as it meandered through the trees.   
  
"Anakin Stop!" She commanded. "What is it?" Anakin asked, as he brought the bike to a halt. "I'd like to refresh my self a little in that brook," Amidala said, getting down from the bike and stretching her stiff body. Anakin looked around for any sign of danger. Looking around at the peaceful scene around him, he decided it was safe enough. "Your highness…" He began, but she was already lost behind the thicket.   
  
Anakin opened the engine cover and checked the speeder bike for over heating. This bike wasn't made for long distances travels, but then it was a Sith and it was as tough as a Sith. He let the cover down to let the tiny engine cool, and strode over to the opposite side of the jungle for a much-needed break.  
  
  
When Amidala came back, he was nowhere to be found. Sitting under a tree she took out her data pad from her pocket and began thumbing through the info. She suspected that they were on or near the Capa plateau, so why not refresh her knowledge about this region. The Capa were a complex people with complex customs.  
  
As he came back into the clearing Anakin noticed the Queen sitting under a white blossom tree, her loose hair a brown silky veil over her face, obscuring it from his view as she bent down, too intent on whatever she was doing. White and pink blossoms floated down with the gentle breeze settling on her hair, shoulders and all around. Creating a delicate pink and white circle around her.   



	9. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 9

Shutting the engine cover, Anakin sat on the bike. Leaning his elbows on the steering handle, his long legs stretched out to either side of the bike, he proceeded again to ogle the Queen. They certainly couldn't afford to waste any time, but Anakin was loath to disturb this magical moment.   
  
Amidala jumped suddenly, remembering where she was. She jerked her head to the bike as she scrambled to her feet. That's when she noticed Anakin staring at her. She checked her run and began to walk with poise and dignity towards the bike.  
  
As she walked she gathered her hair and clipped it behind her in a style that sent him back to Naboo some ten years ago, to the war with the trade federation. Padme had worn just such a uniform and her hair was done just like this. How could he ever forget?  
  
As he looked on spell bound; the images of his Padme and the Queen merged as one, and he could not separate them any longer. The Queen was by his side, a quizzical look on her face. "Anakin! Is something wrong?" She asked, waving her hand in front of his face in the hope of bringing some life into those glazed eyes of his.   
  
Anakin came to with a "huh! I er um." then he blushed red. "Yea! I was thinking about our next move, your highness." She glared at him "I mean Amidala, I mean can I call you Padme?" She looked at him suspiciously, and then smiling said, "Why not seeing I am disguised as Padme right now." "Okay! Padme so lets move on then." He announced cheerfully.  
  
  
  
"No! Anakin," Amidala put in, "You need to rest." She said looking concerned. "You have hardly slept these past two days. Besides its daybreak shouldn't we be looking for a place to hide, it could be dangerous?"   
  
Anakin nodded a firm no. "You see those mountains in the distance," he said pointing to the far horizon, "that is the Capa range, and behind it lies our destination." "My is guess The rebels have probably discovered the cave by now, so they know that we have transport. They will probably have widened the search radius after this revelation. Our best course would be to make a dash for the safety of the mountains-where it would be quit impossible for the rebels to track us down."   
  
The Queen sat behind him with a resigned sigh. She wondered if her body could take any more of this bike abuse.   
"It's only a couple of hours to those mountains," He said trying to assure her. Then we can have all the rest we need. Now hold on Padme,"   
  
"Padme!" He thought. "The woman of his dreams!" He couldn't believe it. Padme was really with him, in the flesh. Her warm body, close against him exhilarated him.  
  
They were making good time. The scent of the jungle and damp earth, the sweet songs of birds greeting the new day and the close presence of the women behind him made him heady and reckless.   
  
Pushing the accelerator all the way down, Anakin rushed in and out through the trees, which were already a blur. Amidala clutched hard at his waist. "Anakin! Please!" she pleaded to his sanity, but that drove him to more recklessness. Anakin was now practically bobbing above and under the trees. Up and down he went, yahoo-ing over the Queen's shrieks.  
  
"Stop it!" She commanded but he took no heed. Above the din he was making, he didn't here the sharp whining of droid STAP's behind him.  



	10. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 10

The droids were having a hard time keeping the speeder bike in their sights, when they flew above the tree the speeder ducked down when they flew down it would bob up.   
  
As Anakin dipped down into the jungle he saw blaster fire shoot past his head and singe the tree in front of him, but he could not see any one firing them. Up he went again-the little hesitation put him in sync with the droids because this time the four vehicles rose over the trees at the same time.   
  
For a moment both parties seem to be surprised at the other's presence, Anakin saluted them with a wide grin, and then all hell broke loose. Blaster fire rained down upon them from umpteen directions. With a rush of adrenaline Anakin let loose, weaving and threading through the dense trees so fast several STAPs smashed into the trees in the ensuing chase.  
  
"Hang on," He shouted to Amidala who just tightened her hold around his waist. Anakin saw two more droids coming from the front, their twin blasters firing away; he swung aside just in time to avoid the fire. But two of the three droids following them were not so lucky, they were blown to pieces, as they took the full blast of the their colleague's blasters. He wished Amidala had her blaster with her to cover his back, but she had lost that in the swamps. He had no choice but to run for it, dodging between the trees.  
  
"Here we go again," he said as he pushed the accelerator pedal all the way down. Another group of droid suddenly materialized from the forest in front of them blocking their path. This time Anakin turned left as he spied a gap in the tree. Now he had about six droids tailing him. They sped on with exhilarating speed as the jungle blurred into a blotch of green and brown.   
  
Amidala felt her stomach turn as the speeder cleared a ridge and dipped steeply down the wall of the ridge, but by now Anakin had earned her confidence in his driving skills. She just shut her eyes and held on tight. It was hard though with the speeder swaying from side to side in order to give the droids a more difficult target. She was glad her stomach was empty.  
  
Anakin made for the open space, where his speed daemon could simply out run those stick machines. In minutes the pursuing droids were tiny specs in the distance.  
  
Amidala decided it was safe to open her eyes when she felt the bike become steady. She opened it just a little; she nearly fell from shock. There were flying in the middle of a wide canyon, hundreds of feet above the ground, below she could see a silver river, threading down the canyon floor. Waterfalls of various sizes tumbled down both the rims of the canyon.  
  
The Canyon walls too were pockmarked with holes from which waterfall of all sizes flew out into the canyon. A cool moist breeze blew against her cheeks. The sky was tinged orange as the great red orb of the sun rose slowly on the horizon. It was so beautiful; though she was born and bred here she never tired of Naboo's beauty.  
  
  
She looked at her pilot; it seemed he was enjoying himself. His face up to the wind; hair flying. She didn't like the look on his face-though she couldn't see it, she sensed that wicked grin plastered on it.  
  
Anakin in fact really had a smile plastered across his face, but it was not wicked, it was a smile of content. The cool breeze blowing his face made him euphoric. He closed his eyes against the breeze.   
  
"Stars! this place is beautiful! Must come here again, under much happier conditions he though. Obi wan would love it. I love it.  
The Queen leaned her head against his back, as she contemplated the beauty of this place.   
  
"Something is in the air," he thought happily. Love…  
Ping, ping- was the answer he got. "Oh No!" STAPs! His mind corrected himself. He looked back "the air is full of them." He thought as he dipped the bike into a steep arch.   
  
Anakin hadn't heard them approaching above the din of the waterfalls and his concentration had wandered perilously into matters that Obi wan always considered unnecessary and dangerous for a Jedi. " Now I see why he called it dangerous," Anakin thought.  
  
Anakin spiraled down at a dizzying speed. All the three STAPs swooped down after him. Suddenly he turned to the side heading for a particular part of the canyon wall, were the side was dented in like a giant sando monster had taken humongous bite out of it. A huge waterfall spilt down the middle of it and smaller ones dotted the area around it. Anakin headed straight for the belly of the bigger fall. The fall was split in two down the middle due to a big rock out cropping there. Anakin headed for the opening between the two falls, just below the rock out cropping.   
  
"Anakin we're going to crash into the canyon wall," she shouted over the din.  
"Trust me," he shouted back. Then they were inside the black maw.  



	11. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 11

It was dark and it took them sometime to adjust to the darkness. Amidala looked around, it was a round tunnel carved out by the flow of water, wide enough for a Naboo speeder to pass through it comfortably.   
  
A thin stream flowed down the tunnel floor, flowing into the falls outside. As they coasted deeper it became darker; Anakin put on the speeder light. The tunnel branched out into two smaller tunnels; just big enough for Anakin to stretch both his arms out, the ceiling though was much higher.   
  
One tunnel branched out to the left and one to the right. "Padme! Choose," Anakin ordered.   
  
"Um!" Amidala thought for a split second, then she chose the one on the left. Anakin followed the dark cavern till they reached a dead end. A small waterfall gushed from a hole at the top of the tunnel's end. Anakin looked for an opening of some sort; there were several small rounded holes all along the tunnel wall, some with water gushing through and other dry gaping ones.  
  
Before Anakin could plan another move he heard the soft whining of the STAPs. "Quick," he said pushing Amidala into a crevice in the side of the tunnel wall. There was no place to hide the bike. Anakin let it fall into the pool of water at the foot of the fall, where the force of the falling water had created a deep basin. Then he jumped up the ledge and squeezed into the narrow crevice with the Queen, in such a way that he faced the fall. Anakin felt the presence of three droids approaching.  
  
The two stood face to face, holding their breaths. They heard the droids falter a bit at the point where the tunnel branched out, and then they saw the light of a single STAP wavering on the tunnels walls, as it came cautiously towards them. Anakin had one arm around the queen so she would not be pushed against the rough rocky wall behind her; the other hand was raised a bit before him.   
  
Amidala's face was immobilized to one side against Anakin's chest. She envied the steady beating of his heart; her heart was beating like a pod racer gone wild. Anakin felt her tension.   
  
"Relax!" Anakin whispered in her ears, "I have a plan." She eased her stiff body and let her head rest against him, palms flat against his chest. He tightened his arm around her. With his other hand he pushed her head gently to him so that it fit snugly under his chin. In spite of the impeding danger slowly making their way she felt strangely secure.   
  
Amidala waited for the flickering light to get closer; she wondered what plan Anakin had in mind. The droid was quite close and she could hear the whining from the twin drive turbines resounding in the cavern, but Anakin made no effort to reach for his lightsaber.  
  
The whining grew closer, Amidala noticed that there was no other sound, she craned her neck around then saw why, the waterfall that spouted from the hole above had stopped. She wondered why. But she could not dwell on that for long, the droid had already reached the end of the tunnel. Seeing nothing it slowly turned around scanning the walls of the tunnel with it's lights, first the far side then it turned almost in slow motion towards them. And still Anakin made no move to bring him down with his sword.  
  
Amidala screamed when the STAP's light fell on their faces, momentarily blinding them. Anakin pressed her head hard against his chest stifling the scream to a muffle. The droids neck jerked back in surprise, as it saw the two cowering figures. Just then Anakin waved his hand, and the droid didn't even know what hit him.   



	12. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 12

A sudden strong blast of water shot out at the droid from above, smashing it hard against the rocks on the tunnel floor in a shower of sparks and metals parts. The pent up currents swiftly carried away the scrap down the tunnel. The other two droids hearing the commotion hurried to their colleagues side, only to be caught in the tidal wave of the on rushing water. The fugitives heard more clangs reverberating in the tunnel, as more sparks momentarily lit the tunnel walls. Then it was all quite as the last of the debris was swept out to the canyon floor.  
  
Anakin relaxed. "Come! We have a vacation to catch up," he said looking very satisfied.   
"What happened?" Amidala asked in a whisper, looking around for more droids.   
  
"Did you like the little surprise I planned for our friends?"  
  
"Did you hold up the fall?" Amidala asked as it all dawned upon her.  
  
"Yes! And when our friend discovered us, I decided that it was mean of me keeping this beautiful sight to my self, and let him have some of it too. I think he liked it, huh! He liked it so much; he was -literally-swept off his feet." He said chuckling.   
  
  
"Why couldn't you just hack it with your saber," she asked still smiling at his little joke.  
  
"Well if I'd hacked him the sound would've alerted his friends, and they would've surely alerted the main army before I could stop them all. Even if I had got all three of them, droid scraps can be traced if the transmitter isn't destroyed- That means we would have to dispose of the scrap before more got here or they would be able to trace this route sooner or later. With the scrap at the bottom of the canyon, they have absolutely no idea now of where to start searching for us."   
  
"I think that was a great idea, Anakin!" Amidala said at length. Anakin beamed like a certain nine years old, who has just won the Boontha Eve race. This boy has great potential she concluded to herself, not only was he brave and strong but he was smart too. Though he was getting a little chirpy lately, she decided that she was in good hands.  
  
Meanwhile Anakin waded down to the water and retrieved the bike. The water in the basin was nearly waist deep.   
  
"Wow this water is COLD," Anakin exclaimed as he lifted the heavy bike and set it on the ledge for the water to drain from it.   
  
  
Resting his back against the tunnel wall, Anakin closed his eyes and concentrated hard. After a while he mounted the bike.  
  
"Let's go!"   
  
Amidala sat behind him and they floated up, to one of the dry holes. This tunnel too was wide, with other smaller tunnels opening into it. It became darker as they ventured deeper, into the intricate maze. Amidala had never seen any thing like it.  
  
The speeder light shown eerily from the smooth cylindrical walls. Far off they could here water rushing somewhere. It was dank and cold; Amidala shivered.  
  
"You're all right?" Anakin asked, his voice echoing loudly around the cavern.   
  
"Yes!" She whispered.  
  
Anakin heard it first, a far off roaring and rushing sound that seemed to become louder and louder becoming more urgent by the second. Amidala heard the rumbling too as it grew nearer, but they could not say from which direction it was coming. Anakin had a split second to swerve away to the left, before a huge body of water suddenly thundered from the hole above the spot where they'd been hovering minutes before, and hit the opposite wall with incredible force. The roar of the water was tremendous. Amidala had to cover her ears to block out the din.  
  
We have to look out for those he said as they cautiously entered another side tunnel. Anakin concentrated hard letting the force guide him. This tunnel rose like a stair well curving away to the top, they followed around, and came up to another opening, Amidala was relieved to see light streaming down from it.  
  



	13. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 13

They were pleasantly surprised to come out into a brightly lit cavern; one side open to the lush Capa valley the other side continued to bore deep inside the mountain. Several waterfalls poured into its basin from the walls above.  
  
Anakin brought the bike down on a big ledge in front of the cave opening. Amidala was off the bike in seconds.   
  
"I think we'll camp here for the day," Anakin said as he dismounted the bike. He came to stand at the edge of the ledge next to Amidala as she admired the beautiful view.  
  
The valley was a deep bowl with purple mountains towering in a neat circle all around. It was lush; the whole valley was a riot of spring colors. Whites, pinks, mauves and yellows blossoms blanketed the treetops in a never-ending vista, the colors merging into the blue and purple of the far mountains. The valley floor was covered in a thick green carpet of vibrant grass. Cool brooks babbled contently through the shades of the tree occasionally catching a sunbeam and reflecting it back in a rainbow of colors.   
  
Amidala inhaled deeply and soaked in the heady scent of yasmin blossoms. Anakin inhaled deeply and took in the heady perfume, but it wasn't the yasmin he smelled but the Queens personnel fragrance. She always smelt of viva flowers, he loved the soft delicate smell; it suited her like it was made for her. Anakin was surprised that in spite of their arduous journey the sweet fragrance still clung to her.  
  
"Beautiful isn't it," he whispered behind her. Amidala turned around, surprised to find him so close.   
"Yes!" she said It's like a fairy land," Giving him a wistful smile as she took a step back, his eyes fell upon a small blossom caught in her hair.   
  
Anakin reached out and gently untangled it from its dark perch. Amidala froze when he reached out to her, his fingers brushed lightly against her ears. She flinched a little, as a warm tingly sensation over took the side of her face.   
"This little bloom must have traveled with us all the way from our last stop," He said as he held it to his nose and inhaled deeply, "still smells fresh,"   
  
So small and yet so majestic,   
So delicate and yet so strong,  
So fragile and yet so enduring  
So white and untarnished,  
So beautiful and still oblivious to it,  
So soft and creamy, and yet cruel enough to tear a man's heart out.  
So innocent and demure, and still my beautiful little yasmin, how many hapless souls have you consumed in your fragrant trap?   
  
Anakin brought the dainty little flower to his lips; looking at her with dreamy eyes, he gave the flower a tender kiss. Amidala blushed red from ear to ear when it finally hit her, who really his little yasmin was. She could do nothing but lower her gaze, cheeks flaming red.   
  
She sat down quickly hanging her legs over the edge, so that he would not notice that they were shaking. Anakin stood there a long while wondering.   
  
"I'm hungry Amidala said," Before he had a chance to sit by her side. "You have something for us to eat?" She said without looking up.  
  
Anakin decided to forage in the forest below, mounting his bike, he disappeared down into the forest without a word  
  
"Oh my God!" Thought Amidala, the journey suddenly becoming too long for her. "Last thing she wanted was a love struck bodyguard." She had to discourage him before things went too far.  
  
  
CHAPTER 10  
Amidala took the rare opportunity to enjoy the scenery of the quite countryside and much more, rare moments of solitude. As a queen she had hardly had any time to herself. Except when she was in the fresher.   
  
Naboo were very strict about leaving unmarried girls unescorted anywhere. Trivial baseless accusations, could easily destroy a girls chance to marry. The Queen as such had to be extra careful. As a rule the she was never allowed unaccompanied anywhere.   
Her handmaidens were always around her. And when she traveled outside the palace a contingent of male guards also accompanied her. Even at night one handmaiden slept in her room with her.   
  
It was more to protect the Queen from slanderers than to suspect her character. Panaka would be at this very moment having fits of frenzy if the other party has reached Thal Weil without her. It was a good thing that it was Padme who was gone and not the Queen. But Padme would be in trouble too; she could loose her job. Amidala smiled at that. Then she would have to find another handmaiden name.  
  
She wondered, as she lay back on the hard rock, her legs still dangling down the ledge, what had happened to her handmaidens and escorts. She had seen Their take a direct hit, had seen it fly awkwardly away from Theed. "Did they make it safely?"  



	14. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 14

"Hi! Anakin said grinning from ear to ear as he stood over her. Amidala jumped up. She didn't think he would come back so soon.   
"Mesa back!" Anakin said in a jovial Jar-Jar accent.   
  
Anakin flung a lifeless, white furry creature with big ears towards her, handing her a knife he asked her to skin it while he lighted the fire. Amidala looked at the poor creature and couldn't avoid grimacing. She swallowed hard, repulsed by the idea of her skinning an animal. I think I'll make the fire she said, taking the lighter from him. Anakin agreed, with a shrug, giving her the bundle of firewood he had brought back from the forest.   
  
Deftly he skinned and carved the creature. Cutting the meat into tiny pieces and skewering them onto thin sticks. He looked at the Queen from the corner of his eyes, an amused smile playing on his lips as he watched her struggle unsuccessfully to get the fire going.   
  
Her face was red with blowing on the fire and her eyes were watering from the smoke. She was down on all fours blowing at it till she turned blue but it refused to light.   
  
Anakin walked over and sat by her side, the same grin on his face; he took the lighter from her and had the fire running effortlessly in minutes. She sighed defeated envying the ease with which he did the job.   
  
"You sure are not the ideal camping partner," he said as he lined the meat sticks on the fire.   
  
"I'm a Queen, I was never cut out to make fires," she said with an icy tone, standing up and crossing her arms across her chest. Anakin looked at her and a snicker escaped his tightly closed lips.   
  
"Anakin Skywalker may I know what's so funny!" She said a little agitated.  
  
"Nothing!" he said nodding his head from side to side as he tried again to keep from laughing. He avoided eye to eye contact with her.   
  
"Look at me when you speak,' She commanded. Anakin got up from the fire and stood before her. A burst of laughter escaped his sealed lips, which he tried to cough away.   
  
"I did suggest that you could do away with protocol, but you are being down right uncouth young man!" She went on, wagging her jeweled finger at him.   
  
"But Oh!" Anakin thought " if only she could see herself."   
A mosaic of soot crisscrossed her face, but what made her more comical was the way she was playing all proud and dignified without being aware of her face.   
  
"You are being very unjedi! Snickering like a teenaged girl." She lectured, hands on her hips.   
  
"Unjedi!" he repeated with a creased forehead, "That's a new one, but since the Great Queen Amidala of the Naboo has coined it won't be long before the press catch onto it." He said with a hint of sarcasm.   
  
"Next Yoda will be accusing me of being unjedi," And I'll have to thank you for it.   
  
"Your Majesty! Did I tell you what a good job your handmaidens have done on your face," Anakin said his eyes twinkling with mirth. He caught her off guard, for a moment she just looked blankly at him.   
  
"What! She said puzzled.   
  
"Its your new makeover he said grinning. "Amidala wished she had a mirror.   
"Let me clean that for you."   
  
She backed away a bit when he reached out to her. Anakin took the corner of his tunic and holding her head in one hand he began to clean the black soot marks from her face.  
  
"Anakin I… I think I'll wash it," she stammered. But Anakin just looked at her, raised his eyebrow then continued cleaning the queens' face very lovingly. His hand on her bare neck was making her very uncomfortable.   
  
Finally she could stand it no more, pulling his hand away she burst out, "Anakin Skywalker I will not take anymore of your derision," she said as she stepped forward to strike him. Anakin caught her hand in the air; twisting it behind her he went on.   
  
"But there are a few flaws her and there," he continued in the same vain looking her over, "here let me adjust it," He said. The Queen struggled against him turning her head from side to side.   
  
"Anakin I'm warning you!" she blurted out between clenched teeth, this is no joke."   
  
"No! No! Your majesty we don't want the honorable chief seeing you like that-we wouldn't want to scare him do we?   
  
"Anakin! I'm not in the mood for games," she was fuming by now.   
  
"Ooh! The Ice Queen is angry, she actually has emotions," Anakin stopped what he was doing to look at her.   
  
"I must be a very lucky man. I Anakin Skywalker have seen the Queen in all her fuming, raging glory."   
  
Now you hold still Padme he said as he wet the shirt with his tongue and was about to bring it to her face. That proved just too much for Amidala. She pulled herself free and pushed his hand angrily away from her. "Don't call me that," she spat out, only my friends call me that."   
  
Anakin suddenly stiffened. His eyes became hard steel ingots with blue flames of hate and anger swirling through it. He glared right in her face his nostrils flaring. Then suddenly it was gone. His eyes became the soft blue as before-albeit the twinkle had gone out of them. Sighing heavily he bowed his head.   
  
" I'm sorry Your Highness, I don't know what got over me." He said hoarsely.   
She could hardly hear his voice.   
"I…I…just thought. I thought I was one of your friends-but I'm just an ordinary bodyguard."   
He turned around and walked away-his shoulders slumping, head hanging. 


	15. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 15

Amidala couldn't believe she had just slapped some one. That too a Jedi, a former slave and hero of Naboo. She looked at her hand accusingly as though it had acted against her will. She looked at the boy-Yes! That was a boy- sitting on the ledge his legs dangling down and head bent dejectedly.   
  
She went to kneel by his side and placed a kind hand on his shoulder.   
"Anakin I'm sorry!" Anakin gave her a doleful look then turned his attention back to the valley below.   
  
"You shouldn't be", he said morosely, lips tight.   
  
"If anyone's to blame then its me. I have been trained all my life in matters of dealing with all kinds of people. Of all people, I should know how to behave with a Queen, instead I allowed myself to be carried away. I'm ashamed of myself. I really am sorry. If the council hears of this"   
  
"Anakin don't be silly the council won't hear of it. You expect me to tell on you?"   
  
"No!" Anakin replied brusquely, nodding his head from side to side.   
  
"I'll tell the council and I'll face the punishment I deserve."   
My master has so much faith in me and I let him down. He just doesn't deserve it.   
  
"Anakin! It's no big deal." She said sitting by his side.  
  
"Look I'm sorry what I said about you calling me Padme. I lost my cool, which is bad; a leader shouldn't loose her cool in any situation. You piqued me, but that's no excuse for lashing out. It's a pathetic reaction and I have never reacted like this before." She said, squeezing his arm gently.  
  
There was a long silence, "You will always be my friend,She said at last. That seem to cheer him up a bit, he turned to her a forced smile on his face.   
  
"Yes! No matter what we'll always be friends." He took tiny hand in his and began to examine it, still not looking at her.   
  
After a pause she drew in a long breath, "Anakin I have never been alone with a man before, I... I don't know? Guess I panicked or maybe my internal alarms went off. I just don't know what happened? Ani I'm so confused," Another pregnant pause.   
  
Suddenly she perked up. Sniff! Sniff! Ani I think our food is burning."  
They both jumped up and ran to the fire, just in time to save their breakfast.   
As it turned out the kabob was delicious. Amidala didn't remember eating anything this good in the palace.   
  
Later Anakin suggested she get some rest. He opened the storage compartment and took out what looked like a folded sheet, unfolding it he threw it onto the small patch of grass just to the left of the ledge beyond the cave opening. It inflated to a full sized mattress before hitting the grass. Amidala looked longingly at the mattress lounging in the warm sun, its soft curves inviting her weary bones to just plop onto it and slip into dreamland.   
  
"You go ahead and sleep. I'll have to clean up first-We don't want to scare the chief do we? She said with a smile. Her smile was so infectious he couldn't help but smile back-his heart beating wildly.   
  
"Okay! but you must be careful. These cavern streams are notoriously strong. One wrong step and you'll be swept down to the next cavern before you have time to call for help." Anakin admonished her sternly.   
  
"Okay! Okay! Papa, I promise not to wander too far into the stream." She said with a lopsided smirk.   
  
Amidala headed for the cave-taking Anakin's cloak with her. Anakin took out his damp tunic and underclothes and spread them out on the boulders to dry. He laid on the warm mattress wearing only his trousers, wallowing in the warm rays of the sun as he drifted to sweet oblivion.   
  
By the time Amidala came back he was snoring away, his jaw hanging loosely as he lay face down-hugging the inflated pillow to his chest. Pulling the cloak around her, she looked at his big frame stretched haphazardly across the mattress.   
  
"OH! Anakin! I am so tired." She wailed throwing her hands up in an exasperated gesture.   
  
"Sith! He's heavy," she grumbled as she tried to push away a leg. She heaved and pushed and managed to push him on his side till she had vacated enough of the mattress for her to fit onto. Panting heavily, she pulled out the pillow from under him and then she curled up inside the robe with her back to him and was soon in a snoring competition with her bodyguard. 


	16. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 16

Anakin opened his eyes, squinting as the bright sunshine pricked at it.   
  
"Stars its hot!" he thought as he rolled onto his back. He froze as something alive moved under him. Cautiously he turned his head behind him to have look. He was surprised and relieved to see that it was only the queen. She was now sleeping on her side with her back to him. He threw himself back onto the mattress heaving a sigh of relief.  
"You did scare me little queeni," he whispered into her ears.  
  
He had certainly not intended to sleep so long and take over her bed. I suppose I am in for another lecture on royal protocol he thought. Propping himself up on one elbow he looked at the Queen as she slept. She was so serene and...Beautiful Anakin thought with a sigh.  
  
Bringing his arm over her head, he slid tentatively closer to her. He held his breath as he placed the other hand softly on her arm, his heart beating wildly. He closed his eyes as he savored her scent, His face buried in her still damp hair.  
"Uhmm! Smells nice!" He said as he sniffed at her tresses.   
  
He dared to be bolder. Gently he brushed away the brown mane covering her face as he looked at her longingly. She was his Padme through and through when she was sleeping-She was so beautiful without those affected airs of hers.  
  
Just then Amidala decided that it was hot in the woolen cloak; she rolled around and began to stretch. One bare leg peeked out from the front opening of her robe. Anakin's eyes nearly fell out of their sockets as he looked at the smooth slim leg now lying casually across his thighs. He tried to move but realized he was paralyzed; his legs felt like a ton of rocks were pinning it to the ground. Both his hands were frozen in the air, in an 'I-didn't-do-it' gesture.   
  
When she did not move, he cautiously eyed her from the corners of his eyes-eyes wide with dread. He sank back with relief when he realized she was still sleeping.  
  
Slowly he reached out to the cloak and pulled it across her legs to cover them, keeping his eyes on her face the whole time-the sight of those legs was too disconcerting for him. His trembling hands scraped past her bare skin, Anakin pulled back his hands as though scalded, not taking those wide eyes of the sleeping queen.  
  
The queen moaned as he pushed the now covered leg carefully away and freed his captive legs. He was about to scamper when the Queen grabbed his hand crushing it hard as she let out a loud moan; or was it a cry, Anakin thought as he looked at her baffled.  
  
He was alarmed to see that her face was distorted in what seemed to him like extreme pain. She was covered in sweat and throwing her head from side to side. She must be having a bad nightmare Anakin figured and shook her shoulders.  
  
It took some real hard shaking before she opened her eyes lazily. Looking up at him with drowsy eyes, she gave him a weak smile.   
  
"Anakin!" she whispered sleepily," it's over at last!"  
  
She reached out her hand to touch his face; it was cool and tender.  
  
"Isn't he an angel!" she muttered as she drifted off to sleep again.  
  
"What's over? Who is an angel?" Anakin questioned is curiosity piqued but she was asleep again with a contended smile plastered on her face.  
  
  
Shrugging, Anakin put her down back on the pillow. Assuming that the heat from the sun had affected her brains he pulled the mattress, with the queen still lying on it, to the shade of a big boulder. Then he went of to cool himself in the ice-cold water inside the cave. 


	17. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 17

Anakin was enjoying his ice cold bath. The water rushing out from several holes in the ceiling of the cave was fast flowing. He swam or rather let the current carry him a little further down the tunnel where the water was deep enough, nearly coming to his chest. Loosening his muscles he relaxed and concentrated on calming his mind, which was a jumble of emotions.   
  
Sure enough the ice cold water did the trick and within a quarter of an hour he felt refreshed and ready to take on the world. He turned around and called up the soap and shampoo lying on a nearby boulder. After soaping himself, he applied a generous amount of shampoo on his hair. With both his hands he worked up a sizable lather-he hadn't shampooed his hair since his escape from Theed.   
  
"Wonder how the Queen is doing," Anakin was thinking as he lathered his hair, when he thought he heard a familiar giggle above the roar of the water. Hurriedly Anakin splashed some water on his face, washing the foam off his eyes he glanced back.   
  
"Hey! Can't a guy have some privacy" He shouted as he turned around. He had sensed her presence but what he saw he wouldn't have expected in a thousand years. The most outrageous sight met his eyes. There she was the Queen of Naboo, standing on the ledge that stretched along the length of the cave, holding out a stick and grinning at him.   
  
Anakin watched with mute horror as she waved the little white clothing at the end of the stick. A look of pained crossed his features as he recognized his underwear briefs.   
  
She waved it tauntingly in his face pulling it away from him just as he reached out to grab at it, laughing and squealing at the same time.   
  
Anakin jumped for the stick and would have caught it, had he not realized just then that his leap if completed was going to clear him waist high out of the water. At the last moment he changed his mind, diving back for the ledge and holding onto it to stop his body's flight out of the water. Quickly he looked at the Queen.   
  
Amidala screamed and slapped her hands across her eyes. Anakin sighed with relief thankful she had the gentility to hide her eyes. He grabbed at the briefs-now swirling in the water and immediately put them on. He felt secure to a degree.   
  
"Hey! Anakin! Does this belong to you?" Amidala shouted over the din of the rushing water.   
  
"What!" He said as he whirled around. He had a bad feeling about it even before he faced her.   
  
"There she said," pointing towards the rushing water. Anakin spotted something brown swirling in the rushing water. It was his trousers, being carried away by the currents-directly towards the sinkhole. In the split second that Anakin looked at the garment as it drifted further- he had visions of standing before chief Wakabu-his whole tribe rolling on the floor laughing as he stood there minus his trousers.   
  
"This is not my day." He said as he dove into the treacherously fast currents after his trouser. His head breaking the water further upstream, just as he made a grab for his pants, it disappeared into the churning vortex under one of the thundering falls that spilt from above. Anakin made a desperate lunge for it-she looked with horror, as his body was slammed down hard by the weight of the falling water, sending him under.   
  
It seemed like eternity and still he hadn't turned up. Though the cave was echoing with the roar of the water, to Amidala it became deathly silent as she peeled her eyes for any sign of Anakin. Panic gripping her by the seconds.   
  
"Maker what have I done" She thought, stupefied.   
  
She rushed along the ledge, eyes darting fearfully as she scanned the water. She saw something white in the shimmering water- she caught her breath, clutching at her breasts as a human form materialized. Anakin's lifeless body broke the surface, just floating there like a broken doll. Amidala looked in stunned horror as the limp figure floating facedown seemed to rotate for a while-almost in slow motion-then it drifted down the tunnel.   
  
"Anakin!" She screamed. Running to a point ahead of the drifting body, she jumped into the water, which was fast here by all accounts. Hanging onto a rock outcropping she reached out for his inert form as it drifted by; just managing to touch her fingers to his, lazily and tauntingly it drifted away out of her reach. Amidala screamed as he disappeared. She stared shell-shocked at the opening of the sinkhole, which had swallowed him. 


	18. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 18

Amidala clung to the rock outcropping, her eyes raw from crying, and her throat sore from shouting his name. But she got no reply.   
  
She did not believe he could die so easily-He had evaded death more times than she could count. She had kept on calling him-eager to hear his voice to calm her tormented heart. But after a long, while when none came, she panicked and began to reproach herself.   
  
What was she to do? She had just killed her bodyguard.   
"I have just murdered an innocent soul-through my irresponsibility,"   
  
"What got into you?" She reprimanded herself. "You of all people..."   
  
She looked at the rushing water-She saw herself in restraints, being tried in a criminal court. She would definitely give herself up and admit to her crimes. She would never be able to live with a guilty conscience   
  
  
But what about the shame, the dishonor and humility all this would bring to her parents, her family and to the crown of Naboo. They were all so proud of her and she had let them down-and killed a man, a man who had loved her.   
  
"Die!" An inner voice ordered. "Thus you will save many the embarrassment and humility."   
She shut her eyes and slowly loosened her grip on the rock-immediately the wild currents dragged her into its deadly arms, her lower body flayed up and down as she clung to the rock with just one hand-hesitantly she loosened her grip on the rock. Suddenly something grabbed at her hand and for a moment she hung between the currents and the rocks then a pair of strong arms yanked her up and out of the water.   
  
Amidala was numb emotionally and physically, the ice cold water had almost paralyzed her reflexes. Her eyes were still shut and she did not realize that she was in Anakin's arms, who stood there in his trousers, dripping and bleeding from several cuts on his arms and chest.   
  
She opened her eyes and stared blankly at him-a distant thought occurred to her.   
  
"Were they united here in the land of the dead, had she joined him? If death was so painless why did all creatures dread it so much?"   
  
One look at her pale face, her blank eyes and blue lips was enough for Anakin to know that Amidala had gone into shock and was suffering from hypothermia.   
  
He rushed her outside. Pulling the mattress out into the sun he laid her there and ran to the bike and retrieved the thermoblanket and wrapped it around her. He then proceeded to rubb her feet to get some blood into her toes.   
  
Amidala's teeth began to chatter and she began to shiver uncontrollably. Anakin decided he had to remove the wet robe off her before he could get her to warm up.   
  
Bringing the blanket up to her chest, Anakin eased her arms out of the robe, then pulled it out from under the blanket without exposing her. Kneeling down he gathered her into his arms and pressed her tight against his chest. Amidala complied without protesting, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head against his chest.   
  
Anakin closed his eyes he concentrated, he could feel the air around him warming. He called up the energy of the force, twirling it around them. The temperature rose-the air turning balmy then warm. He held her thus till beads of sweat ran down his face and body. He looked down at the queen. Her eyes were closed and she seemed contented. She wasn't shivering any more and her face and lips were back to their rosy, healthy state.   
  
Anakin heaved a sigh of relief.   
  
"Thank the maker I have you back," he whispered into her ears as he pressed his face against her damp hair. He began to rock her gently back and forth as he stared compassionately at her serene features. It seemed every hour he spent with her he was becoming more and more fascinated by her.   
  
"I love you!" he whispered. "You may never be mine but I will always love you, I'm just happy to see you alive my lovely angel." A small smile escaped her lips. Anakin frowned.   
  
"Even after I nearly got you killed!" She said her eyes twinkling.   
Anakin was caught off guard, he thought she was out-he was sure that's how he had read her.   
  
"Your highness I...I thought you..." He stammered throwing her down. Amidala fell onto the mattress unceremoniously.   
  
"Anakin is this how you treat your lady love," She said in a pretentious tone as she picked herself up. Anakin went red as a beetroot.  
  
"I'm sorry it wasn't right of me to..." He scrambled to get up, but she caught his hand.   
  
"No! Anakin you must forgive me!" She said grabbing his hand. He stood like a wooden statue, unsure what she was talking about. All he could think about was the feel of her hand on his.  
  
"No...no! You didn't mean it. There's nothing to be sorry about. I panicked I should have used the force to retrieve my pants." his words were coming out rather unnatural as though his tongue was made of lead.   
  
Amidala smiled back sweetly and for a moment he thought his heart would stop. It reminded him of the day she had first given him that special smile all those years ago during the victory celebrations. It was etched hard into his memory and he would never forget it.   
  
She stood up gathering the blanket around her. She looked into his face and her eyes took on a dreamy appearance.  
  
"Anakin I'm so glad you were assigned for my protection. You have saved my life so many times I don't know how to thank you!" She said as she squeezed his hand. Anakin for his part lost his tongue completely. Instead he grinned away like some crazy toad. Her touch was driving him mad.   
  
"I...I...No!...It ish nothing" He stammered. "Sith!" He thought. He tried again.   
"Force...the...thank!" He stammered.  
"Sith! I mean thank the force." He corrected himself. But by then Amidala was giggling away uncontrollably. Anakin rolled his eyes and threw his arms up in a helpless gesture. It looked like he was about to cry. 


	19. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 19

Amidala now fully dressed looked at the young man sitting by the ledge. Wrapped in a sarong-made from the thermo-blanket. He was basking in the warm sun, his eyes closed, his head he leaning back against a small boulder.   
  
The queen looked down at him quietly, Anakin opened one eye seeing her standing there he raised the accompanying eyebrow, questioningly. He was vary of her so close to him.   
  
"So when are we leaving?" she asked coming to sit next to him. She offered some of the fruit that he had bought from the forest.   
  
"As soon as my clothes are dry," He said munching into the juicy red fruit.   
  
"By the way where are your clothes-don't tell me you'll be escorting me in that silly sarong! -Not after you nearly lost your life trying to save your pants."   
  
"Thanks to you, my clothes are drying somewhere safe"   
  
"Where?"   
  
"There on top of that yonder tree." He pointed to a tree that grew at the end of the ledge, near some boulders. From its highest branches fluttered an array of clothing; prominent among them was his white briefs. Merrily dancing in the sun.   
  
"Safe from the wickedness of a certain mischievous Queen."   
  
Amidala giggled at the memory. She could laugh at it now, after it had all ended well.   
  
"What's so funny he said.   
  
She noticed that giggling was the one thing that unsettled the usually cool and calm jedi. She just shrugged. Anakin laid back on his rock, hands behind his head, looking at the clear blue sky. Two birds soared in lazy circles, their black feathers shimmering in the warm sun.   
  
Amidala stared out over the green canopy of the forest lost in thought. There was a silent pause between them, making the chirping and twittering of bird and buzzing of insects distinctly audible.   
  
"Padme!" Anakin said at last still observing the two birds in the sky.   
"Huh!" She said breaking away from her thought. "He called me Padme which means he's forgiven me," she thought.   
  
"You seemed in so much pain!"   
  
"What! When?"   
  
"Back there when you were sleeping. You were dreaming. I had to shake you out of it"   
  
She gave him a blank look.   
  
"Don't you remember? He turned around, leaning on the rock he looked at her intently.   
  
"Well I…er." She hesitated. "Yeah! I was dreaming…but I'd rather not talk about it." She said looking away.   
  
His face fell, "Hey! I didn't mean to intrude." Still looking at her. "You took my name!"   
  
"I did?" She said in exaggerated surprise. But the heightened blush on her cheeks gave her away.   
  
"Yes! not that it's the first time, though." He said straightening up and sitting cross-legged before her.   
"You said its over! Then you took my name; you said something about some one being an angel. Which really piqued my curiosity"   
  
She did not answer, merely looked away into the distance as she snapped a small twig unconsciously. Anakin sensed a sudden turbulence under cool façade. After another long pause, Anakin decided she did not want to discuss it. He would let it drop. He was about to move away.   
  
"I dreamed that someone or something, I don't know what, was trying to…" She shrugged helplessly, then continued. "Two evil looking beings dressed all in black were trying to take my baby from me. It was so lifelike…this nightmare." She was clearly distressed.   
  
"Your baby!" Anakin repeated. "So that's who the angel was you were talking about."   
  
"You said it's over!" Anakin added.   
  
She blushed again and looked away. Anakin thought he knew what the dream was about.   
  
"Anakin it was such a strange dream…I saw myself getting married…then pregnant… " She took a deep breath as she examined her fingers closely.   
"And then I actually saw myself give birth… it was so…traumatic, and yet when I held the baby in my arms it felt so fulfilling, like it had all been worth it." She looked away at the distant peaks behind him; reliving that moment, the joy the ecstasy! A smile crossed her face as she remembered the tiny little creature in her arms, cuddled against her breasts.   
  
"Was it… mine?" Anakin blurted.   
  
"What?"   
  
"Was I the father?" He saw her eyes darken with anger.   
  
"No!" What makes you think that," she said in a biting tone.   
  
Anakin shrugged with a hurt look on his face. "Well… I figured it would be pretty odd for a bodyguard to be standing in the delivery room-even in a dream, unless the child was mine."   
  
Anakin raised his eyes and looked at her defiantly, a look two people shared when they had something private between them. She turned away angrily, "How dare he give me that look!"   
  
"Then whose was it!"   
  
"It wasn't your!" She bit back in an annoyed tone.   
  
  
"Look you shook me in the middle of my dream, I wasn't fully awake and somehow you merged into my dream at that particular point!" She said exasperated.   
  
"Besides it's only a dream and the most crazy things happen in a dream so just forget it."   
  
  
  
Amidala turned away, off course there was no need to mention that she actually saw herself conceive her child. She gulped hard at the memory…her blood began to race as she recollected the vivid dream of her first night with her husband. A tall well-built man was all she could remember, she never saw his face. But she recalled well the searing kisses, the warm caresses, the strong body enclosing hers…   
  
Anakin stared in fascination as the queen's eyes dilated, lips parted and chest began to heave. It was the look of a woman in love. She was an open book. She was beautiful as is, but with that glow she absolutely radiated like an angel.   
  
"Padme! Did you…"   
  
She jumped up. "NO! I didn't…" She stopped short, then sheepishly, "did what?"   
  
"Did you see his face?" Anakin asked innocently.   
After a pause, "I didn't see his face, but… it wasn't you. The man was much older."   
  
  
  
Then she sighed heavily. "One of the evil men said that it was his,"   
She looked up helplessly at him. "Anakin I'm so scared and confused. I know its just a dream but…" Anakin reached out and touched her hand, she flinched as though burnt. She was hyper after reliving her dream, especially the part with the intimacy with her husband.   
  
She was about to apologize, when Anakin suddenly sat up. "Ssshh!" He said perking up. They heard a low droning sound. Anakin jumped up, shielding his eyes with his hands as he scanned the sky for the source of the sound.   
  
"It's a royal scout craft," He shouted. 


	20. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 20

The droning grew louder as the minutes ticked by. The RS 14's were very good in tracking down its quarry, no matter how small. But the craft did not get too far before a bolt of laser whizzed out from somewhere in the forest, missing the craft by a hair's breath. A second warning shot followed before the craft veered back over the mountains and out of sight.  
  
"Do you think they'll come after us?" Anakin asked as he looked after the retreating scouting craft.   
  
They wouldn't dare!" Amidala said. "At this point they can't afford to make more enemies. The Capa are proud warriors who value their freedom. Generally neutral in matters outside their valley, the Capa are a peaceful people over all, but if challenged they make a formidable enemy." She paused for a moment looking after the retreating craft as it disappeared into the distant clouds.   
  
"One thing they will NOT tolerate are trespassers on their territory and any interference in their local affairs," she said turning to look at him."  
  
"Even now this jungle must be teeming with their warriors. Venturing into it without a permission letter from the chief himself will be courting certain death. The Capa have a tendency to strike first then ask questions-at least that's how the Naboo see them." She said with a lopsided smile.  
  
"Well that's another reason not to anger your bodyguard-without me you've dead, I mean what can one woman do against an army of shadowy barbarous warriors. Now I'm sure they're smart enough not to tangle with a Jedi." Anakin said as he smugly smoothed the sarong with his fingers.  
  
"Actually this is one place where your Jedi training will be quite redundant. In this case YOU will need MY help to cross this unruly land. "   
  
Anakin sat up slowly from his relaxed stance. "You! Protect me?" He said in disbelief.  
  
"Do you really think that you can actually blast your way through here! Amidala said, "The Council certainly wouldn't approve you know, since YOU are the trespasser. Besides Jedi code requires that you respect local laws and customs." She added.  
  
Anakin nodded. "So you are going to use diplomacy to get us across."  
  
"This is my ticket through Capaland!" She said slipping out one of her numerous rings and holding it up.  
  
"You see the chief is a personal friend of mine and he gave me this ring, saying that it would practically identify me as one of his daughters and would assure my protection in Capa territory."  
  
Amidala went on to explain how she became friendly with chief Wakabu.  
  
"The Capa guard their family values and customs jealously. They have their own laws and regulations and are fanatically loyal to their ancient rites and customs. But the Naboo government thought some of the laws too harsh and inhuman, they sought to challenge these savage laws and get the Capa into mainstream Naboo society."  
  
The Capa for their part had opposed them with all out war, which dragged on for several years till Amidala had come into power when it was finally solved according to the wishes of the Capa people. They were granted autonomous rule and a promise of non-interference.  
  
In exchange the chief promised military assistance to the central government in the event of an external attack on Naboo, as the Naboo central army was too small to protect the capital alone.  
  
Amidala ran her hand through hair in a futile attempt to tidy it.  
  
"We have been at peace with them for the last ten years or so," she went on.  
  
"So you have kept in touch with the chief all this time?" Anakin asked.  
  
"Chief Wakabu attended the celebrations after the Naboo victory over the trade federation. After that he visited Theed just once to celebrate my twentieth birthday. He presented me with this ring, a very special ring."   
  
"Can I see it?" He asked.  
  
She slipped it out of her finger and handed it to him, rather reluctantly.   
  
"It's beautiful! I have never seen a stone like this before," Anakin said as he intently observed the small, smooth translucent gem.   
  
"It's a very rare gem found in certain oyster shells that thrive in the depths of the fresh water lakes of the Capalands." The darker it gets the stronger the gem glows."  
  
"You'll still need me to protect you, your highness!" Anakin said as he turned the ring around in his hand.  
  
Amidala gave him a puzzled look. Cocking his head to one side he continued.  
  
"According to an ancient law, called..." He paused to think for a while, "Ashana, I think. Well according to this law unmarried women found wondering outside the village perimeter without a male relative or guard were considered the property of any warrior who claimed them. If two or more should claim her then it would be decided through an honorable duel between them.  
  
"Who told you that?" Amidala said with a grimace on her face, "How awful!"  
  
Anakin reached into his robe's pocket and held out her datapad that she had placed there unconsciously when she had borrowed his cloak during their journey.   
  
"They have an Interesting culture! I read a little while I was waiting to trap my prey back there in the jungle." He said.  
  
"Your highness, you might also want to know that Capa laws apply to all members of the tribe equally-chief's daughter or not." Anakin was very smug, his tone of speech bordering on insolence.  
  
Amidala shrugged " With this ring I don't think I have to worry!" Saying that she reached out to take back the ring, instead Anakin held her hand in his and was about to slip the ring onto her slender fingers when she suddenly retracted her hand with a jerk!   
  
"Anakin!" she shrieked. The ring fell and rolled away right to the edge of the ledge. Anakin's quick reflexes saved the ring from the abyss. He held it out to her, placing it on his palm this time. She grabbed it from him unceremoniously. Glaring daggers at him.   
  
Anakin was at a loss for words at her sudden change of attitude, but before he could ask for an explanation of how he had offended her Amidala jumped to her feet.  
"Anakin please dress up! We should be leaving now!" She ordered in an icy cold tone.  
  
Anakin stared at her as she walked away towards the speeder bike. He just couldn't understand women. 


	21. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 21

Anakin came out from the cave as he clasped his belt around his tunic. He saw Amidala standing by the lip of the jungle, looking out onto the forest. She stood straight, arms across her chest, tapping her booted toes on the rock impatiently.   
  
Anakin stood there watching her. She was pretty peeved this he knew, but he didn't know what he had done to get here so upset. This much he knew that he had committed a major faux pas and that he should apologize to her for it.   
  
Anakin came behind her and putting his hands on her arms gently he began to whisper his apology to her.   
  
"Padme! I'm sorry! I have acted out of line please can you forgive. But before he could finish she pushed away his hands angrily and whirled around to face him.   
  
"Anakin! Soon we'll be guests at Chief Wabuki's village. I want you to behave your self!" She said sternly.   
"And don't forget that you are a body guard to the Queen and act like one," She added through clenched teeth.   
  
Anakin stared back unable to believe what he heard. Closing his eye he swallowed hard, the hurt was too much.   
  
Amidala shrugged and turned back to look at him.   
  
"Anakin! you must understand that the Capa are a very narrow minded people. A small lapse in protocol on your could cause a major scandal and which could undermine the central governments relations with them." This she said in a more controlled tone.   
  
Anakin turned to look over the vast jungle, his back to her.   
  
"For how long are you going to deny your feelings!" He asked quitely.  
  
"What do you mean Anakin! I think you assume too much, jedi!" She said angrily.  
  
"You of all people should know very well there is no place for personnel sentiments in my job. I have no time for that, especially now when my world is in a crisis."   
  
"Your pride will not let you admit it! You are too proud to accept a mere padawan as your equal."   
  
"My equal? Padawan! you are right on that one. There's no chance, as long as I am queen that I can marry any one less than a king or a prince. Any one that wants MY royal hand will have to pass the numerous preconditions that are set by the NSB judges before he can even propose."   
  
She paused. "Or if I should want o marry a common man then I should resign my post. But...I'm afraid Jedi Skywalker I haven't yet found someone worthyy enough for me to forego my career for him. I actually like what I'm doing."   
  
Anakin's anger was getting the better of him. His eyes were hard as steel, his hands balled into tight fists and suddenly he had difficulty breathing. He felt a surge of dark energy gather around him.   
  
She went on. She would have said more to discourage this snot of a padawan.   
  
But before she could go on, Anakin suddenly turned around and let out an animalistic howl. Bringing his fist down hard in the air, his face all twisted and contorted, she watched with shock as a good sized boulder a couple of feet away from them suddenly exploded; within seconds the boulder was reduced to particles of rock and sand.   
  
"To hell with the NSB!" Anakin screamed. She looked at Anakin then back to the pile of crumbled rock, her jaws hanging in disbelief.   
  
"I have seen the future and no one can change that. NO ONE!" He screamed. "Not even you your highness! Destiny will get its way one way or the other." With that he turned away and mounted his bike. 


	22. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 22

Anakin raced through the grass carpeted jungle at neck breaking speed, the trees where a flash of green as he sped by, dodging through the trees like a bolt of lightening gone crazy.   
  
Amidala closed her eyes shut and clung tight. It was futile to get Anakin to slow down, he had that mad look in his eyes and she knew he would not heed her.   
  
Anakin was angry with himself on the foolish move he had made. He was angry at the Queen's reaction. He felt she was grossly overreacting to an innocent gesture. His mind was filled with the Queens face starring angrily at him. He was so engrossed in introspection and self-examination that he failed to heed the warning of the force.   
  
With a whoop a wooden spear suddenly cut his path and fixed itself on the bole of a tree right in his path. To avoid the wooden handle cutting right into his neck he swerved heavily to one side, but he was too fast, he lost control and fell heavily to the ground, rolling on the forest floor. Even before he hit the ground he was looking for the Queen; he found her lying on the floor some distance behind. As soon as he stopped rolling he ran and threw himself besides the limp form on the grass. Gathering her in his arms he checked her for signs of life.   
  
She was alive but unconscious. Her temple was bleeding and worse the old wound on her arm had reopened and she was bleeding again. " Maker what have I done!" Anakin said, hugging her close to him. He was almost in tears.   
  
He turned round to see three well built warriors dressed in what looked to him like animal skins wrapped round their waists, advancing cautiously towards them. Pointing their spears menacingly at the pair on the ground.   
  
"Friends!' he said in Capa, "we're friends, we're come to see Chief Wakabu." They stopped their advance but they did not seem convinced. Anakin bent and took out the queen's ring so unceremoniously he nearly tore her skin   
  
Anakin normally had nerves of steel when it came to negotiation. But seeing the queen like this put him in a state. He was shaking all over.   
  
He realized how much she had come to mean to him. He wasn't this disconcerted the last time he had seen her injured. Then she had been a friend. But now she was his life.   
  
"Here!" he said holding the ring for them to examine. The tallest of the three took the ring, never taking his eyes off the two. He just glanced at the stone and nodded to the others, the spears were lowered. But their expression did not changed.   
  
The leader asked if the woman was his, Anakin didn't understand, he just kept on repeating that he wanted to see the chief. The tribals did not seem to understand basic or the Naboo dialect spoken in the city, which Anakin had mastered somewhat.   
  
Anakin told them that he needed help, he had to get this woman to a doctor fast. They nodded and beckoned him to follow them. He picked up the Queen and hoped that the speeder would not be too damaged. He found it lying on some bushes quite unscathed. He mounted the speeder, cradling Amidala in one arm in front of him while guiding the speeder with the other.   
  
The warriors returned seated on white scooties- outdated Naboo speeders, which were much wider and longer than his speeder, with curved seats extending right to the footholds more like cut cylinders.   
  
Anakin followed the warriors as they floated through the forest following beaten paths. They did not seem to be in a hurry. Anakin had to urge them to hurry. Presently they crossed an old log bridge and came to stand before a heavy wooden gate set in a palisade of pointed logs. 


	23. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 23

The heavy door was closed. One of the warriors took out a horn and blew on it. A watchman popped his head at the top of the gate but refused to open the gate to the strangers.   
  
The warrior showed him the ring, which again took time because the watchman was standing too high. Anakin was getting impatient, how he wished he could take out his lightsabre and get things done fast. But he knew that wouldn't achieve much. The Queen needed help; at the moment these people were her only hope.   
  
At last the door opened slowly, it was the watchman. He came over to Anakin and looked him over, Anakin showed him the wounded Queen. He wanted to know if she was Anakin's wife. Anakin was really loosing his patience.   
"She's a friend of Chief Wakabu!" he retorted angrily.   
  
The Watchman scratched his chin and looked the two over; he pointed to the lightsabre at Anakin's hips and demanded he be disarmed. Anakin promptly threw the thing away, saying now let me in or she'll die! The watchman finally motioned the warriors to let him in.   
  
"Take me to the doctor!" Anakin shouted to the warriors on the scooties, but they just turned around and drove back into the forest. A young boy about twelve years old escorted him through the village running ahead of him, Anakin followed on the bike.   
  
He saw thatch roofed houses under huge trees. Women working out stopped their work to look at the strangers, clearly strangers were not a common site out here. The boy led them to a remote corner of the village and stopped in front of a hut with a low roof.   
  
The doctor came out immediately and helped Anakin take the patient in. There was a clean bed in the corner by the window; Anakin laid the groaning Queen gently on it. She seemed to be coming to. Anakin held her hand as the doctor went to work.   
  
"Hena!" He called out to his assistant as he tore Amidala's sleeve and examined the wound. He was nodding his head, saying this is not good. At the same time a thin brown skinned woman came in carrying a bowl of warm water and a clean clothe.   
  
The doctor cleaned the wounds and gave Hena some more instructions. She came again with some bottles and an iron rod. She kept the rod in the fire, which was burning in the corner fireplace where a metal pot was hanging from an iron chain.   
  
"The wound needs to be sealed!" the doctor announced Anakin was aghast as the truth hit him.   
  
"No!" he said, "you're not going to brand her! She's the! She's the…" but he did not want to give away her identity, he could not do that before he met the chief.   
"I have to do what I have to. To save this woman's life!" the doctor said. Hena cleaned the blood from the queens face and neck, then undid her shirt and freed her injured arm from it, she applied some medicine on the wound and covered her with the sheets again.   
  
Amidala was hot with fever and sweating profusely. Shaking her head from side to side deliriously. Hena cleaned the sweat from her face from time to time.   
  
As he removed the seething red rod from the fire, Anakin was not sure how the queen was going to take it when she came to. The doctor assured him that a scar was better than an amputated arm.   
  
"Now please be kind enough to hold her for me." Anakin held her shoulders down and Hena helped to hold her feet.   
  
Trained as he was for all kinds of emergencies he couldn't help turning away as the doctor reached out the angry rod carefully towards her arm.   
  
Thanks to her fainting spells Amidala did not suffer much, she just passed out as soon as the rod touched her. In a split it was over. Anakin had to admit the doctor was good at this. The wound was sealed from end to end in a neat long seam. 


	24. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 24

The Queen was still in sweet oblivion when the chief of the Capas walked in. He was very apologetic. He had recognized the ring; the warriors had given him and hurried home from his engagements in another village.  
  
As soon as he entered the infirmary, he bombarded Anakin with a flurry of questions.  
"How is she?" He asked. "What happened? Were my warriors responsible?" "What was she doing here in the forest without her guards?"   
Anakin didn't know which question to answer.   
  
"It's a long story sir," he said.   
"Yes!" the Chief said. "I think we should get her to her room first then we'll talk." He gave Anakin the queen's ring. Anakin unconsciously pulled out the Queen's hand from under the sheet and gently slipped the ring on her finger. The chief looked at him in surprise.  
  
"I had no knowledge that the queen had taken a consort?" He muttered. He looked him up and down, then walked out giving orders to his men. The look that the chief gave him made Anakin realize that he had made some major faux pas. It dawned upon him that in spite of his thorough grounding on Naboo, there was a lot he did not know about the planet's people and their complicated customs and rituals.   
  
Anakin had concentrated more on the history and geography of the planet. Obi wan had stressed court protocols and manners. But obviously the people of Naboo had very complex internal laws and customs of which they were very sensitive.   
  
As there was just too much data to absorb, Anakin had be selective, reading on matters he thought he might need most. He was especially ignorant about the marriage and courtship customs of Naboo. He didn't think he'd be needed around to solemnize anybody's marriage. Anakin sighed and slumped on a chair. Who'd guess he would land in such a situation. What a buffoon he seemed. 


	25. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 25

The Queen was removed to the guest quarters, a regal two story building made not of straw or reed but stone. The room though spacious was simply decorated with a huge bed in the corner near a window that overlooked a picturesque garden. A small round table with four chairs was situated in the middle of the room.   
  
On the other side of the room was a settee with two sofas, facing the full-length windows opening onto a wide balcony from where Anakin could see the village, the forests and the purple mountains beyond. The courtyard was abloom with colorful flowers of all colors. A sweet scent permeated the air; here and there, he could hear the bird chirping.   
  
Behind him, several girls were helping the queen into clean clothes. They had her body cleaned with a damp cloth and her hair combed and plaited. Anakin was thankful to the chief's hospitality. He felt they were safe here for the time being.  
  
He had sent a messenger with a holographic message to Obi-wan and Captain Panaka in Thal Weil informing them of their difficulty.   
  
"The Queen had been injured on her escape from the palace, which had become serious," he explained, "it was not possible for her to travel the regular way." Anakin advised them to send the Bongo, which would cut their travel time by half.  
  
Meanwhile he had filled the old chief on the details of their unfortunate circumstances-except the consort thing that is. Amidala was going to be very angry with him, he had found out earlier, she was very sensitive to this topic.  
  
Anakin came out from the fresher more refreshed after a warm bath, though he could've done with a clean pair of clothes. His jedi tunic was a mess, his sleeve was torn and one side of the hem was now shorter with frayed threads hanging from it where he had torn out a piece for the Queen's make shift bandage. He thought about asking the chief for a clean change of clothes, then decided that a torn tunic was better than a skirt around his waist.  
  
His eyes then fell on the table before him and thoughts of his ragged clothes were soon forgotten. A grand meal was set for him on the table. There were several kinds of dishes, mainly local delicacies. He was so hungry; he felt he hadn't eaten for a week.   
  
After he'd eaten. He took a bowl of warm soup over to the Queen's bedside. After some coaxing she woke up and Anakin fed her some soup. He noticed that she was pale and weak. The door opened, Hena walked in carrying a bowl filled with some herbal concoction, which Anakin had a hard time convincing her to take, but in the end she finished the bowl.  
  
Later, another woman came to clean up the table; she kept glancing at him from the corner of her eyes as he sat by the Queen's side staring into her sleeping face. His mind wondering far, far away to his home planet of Tatooine. He was nine and she was fourteen. She was probably the most beautiful girl he had seen then... 


	26. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 26

The messenger arrived at Thal Weil just after dusk; Panaka's men intercepted him and brought him before their Captain who was having a discussion with Obi-Wan and other members of the army.   
  
The courier created quite a stir when he announced he had a message from the Queen's consort.  
  
Chief Wakabu had instructed the boy to address the Queen's husband Anakin, as the Queen's consort, as royal protocol required. So unknowing to Anakin his little lapse in Naboo etiquette was creating quite a commotion.  
  
The group decided to check out the message. But there was nothing in the message to suggest any such thing. Surely Anakin would not overlook such a fact. They noticed that he was talking from the Queen's bedside-which showed that he had done away with any protocol, but it did not suggest marriage to the Queen.  
  
The boy was not much help either. He just said that he had seen Anakin put a ring on the queen's finger and that the chief was present. Panaka could not make much of that. Was the boy talking about a chance incident or a ceremony?  
  
The ring ceremony was in effect the actual marriage ceremony of many tribes of Naboo. A simple exchange of rings between couples effected their marriage. To make it official a marriage deed had to be signed by ten adults who had witnessed the ceremony. But the witnesses could be less than that if they were of higher positions.   
  
In Theed just one signature by the Queen was enough to ratify the marriage. Which was one of her official duties when she attended the wedding ceremonies of government members or their children's. In Capaland the chief's presence was enough to get the couple named as man and wife.  
  
  
Word spread. How did it do so? Captain Panaka could not tell. But before he could put the lid on it, Thal Weil Military barracks was abuzz with the news that the Queen had taken a little known off-worlder as her consort. The soldiers were not happy. It was a time of crisis. Many a camps were debating the matter heatedly, for and against the queen's action.  
  
Panaka made a formal announcement and assured his soldiers that the Queen was here in Thal Weil and this news concerned her handmaiden Padmé. However, this announcement did little to cool the debate for the soldiers suspected that the Queen in Thal Weil was a decoy and the real Queen was in Capaland.  
  
Many eligible bachelors from the top order down to the privates felt they were better suited as the queen's consort at least much better than a chit of boy, a foreigner! They had their little dreams of making it to the top instantly.   
  
The older ones suggested that the Queen should have put Naboo interest before all else and married a real prince, so as to benefit Naboo politically. The Naboo press had been matching her name with several princes from around the galaxy.   
  
Naboo reporters especially were partial to Prince Hanse of Tarocan. Smart, handsome and heir to a powerful kingdom. With such an alliance Naboo would not be at the mercy of bullies in the republic. The Press had a heyday when the Prince had visited Theed Palace to attend the Queen's twenty-third birthday.   
  
All the false rumors really upset the Queen, till she was compelled to make a special announcement at the end of the week to inform the people that she and the Prince were just good friends and that she was not ready for marriage yet. She also informed them that they-the press would be the first to know when she decided to choose a husband.   
  
Panaka was sure it was all Anakin's fault. Obi-wan felt that he should have grounded the boy more on Naboo protocol. He thought being in the Palace would familiarize Anakin with that. As it turned out Anakin had spent very little time at court. He was stationed to the Thal Weil secret base just a couple of days after arriving on Naboo. Anakin had immersed himself in the project completely, coming to Theed only for short visits.  
  
The debate though raged round the campfires. Most of the soldiers thought Anakin had a golden opportunity to be alone with the Queen and win her heart. Many of them were confident of success if given the same opportunity. Women were so easy to win over-Queen or no Queen, women were women, with hearts of butter. The soldiers concluded that Anakin was one lucky man, and they all envied him. What they did not know was that this lucky man knew nothing of all this. 


	27. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 27

Anakin was not cozily cuddled in bed with the queen, as the soldiers were wont to believe-he wasn't even in bed. The maid came in with the breakfast tray, only to find the male guest's head occupying the table, his mouth gaping like some dead fish. She set down the tray heavily on the table waking him up with a start. He squinted at her, before realizing where he was.   
  
Anakin walked over to the Queen and felt her forehead.  
  
"Good! No fever." Anakin thought.  
  
Amidala opened her eyes as soon as he touched her. She gave him a weak smile. He turned her around so he could see her arm, it was a bit swollen, but there was no sign of infection.  
  
"This man is a miracle healer!" Anakin said as he sat down besides her.  
  
" I agree! I feel much better than before." She said weakly, "But I don't think I can face another journey on your speeder yet." she added  
  
"You don't have to!" Anakin replied.  
  
"I have sent a messenger to Thal Weil and if we're lucky we'll be traveling by Bongo. We'll have a bed ready for you and you can sleep all the way."   
  
"When will it be coming?"   
  
"Can't say, the messenger will have an answer when he returns today evening," Anakin replied.   
  
The maid eyed them suspiciously as she set the table, then took her leave. A heavy silence followed.  
  
"Nice place we have here." she said looking around the room and pulling her self into a sitting position.   
  
Anakin nodded absent mindedly as he stared at the ceiling. Amidala looked up at the spot he was studying; scrunching her forehead in an effort to find out what was so absorbing. Looking back at him, she guessed he was keeping something from her.   
  
"You have something to say?"   
  
She saw him gulp and his eyes widened, as he vigorously nodded a no.  
  
"Come on Anakin, out with it!" She commanded, gripping him by the arm with her uninjured hand and forcing him to face her.   
  
"Anakin startled at her touch, putting his hand on hers he pressed it against his arm, "Padmé! I'm really sor...ry. It's all... my fault." He stammered. "I really didn't..."  
  
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," a voice said from the door. Anakin sprang up like a jack-in-the-box at the chief's voice. His faced turned sickly pale as he stammered a welcome.  
  
"Ah! Your Majesty is awake and well. Am I glad to see you?" The chief said as he walked towards the queen. He took her hand and kissed it bending a little. He was a proud but simple hearted man and Amidala was very fond of him.   
  
"Chief Wakabu, I am so indebted to you for your help," she said.  
  
"I know my presence here is endangering your people. You are very brave to let me...us stay here." She added looking at Anakin.  
  
"No! No!" The Chief said shaking his head," this is the least the Capa can do to thank our benefactor from Theed. The Capa are ready to shed their last drop of blood for you."   
  
Then picking up her hand he pointed to the ring, "This ring identifies you as one of my daughters-thus you are a Capa just as any one else in the village-it is the duty of every Capa to defend and protect one of theirs." Amidala could hardly swallow the lump forming in her throat.  
  
"Your breakfast is still untouched! Come, come I'm sure you're very hungry." He said helping her out of the bed and into a chair.   
  
They had their breakfast in silence, the chief offering them to have the shiftalu puje or remarking on the health benefits of kaadu milk.  
  
"I didn't know you had taken a consort my daughter?" He asked after a short silence. Amidala nearly choked on her tea. It took her some time to recover; the chief quickly offered her a glass of water. She drank taking her time. Then she straightened up and smiled- Anakin swallowed hard, he was tense as a rope but managed to keep his composure.  
  
"Well..."she started trying to think of something. She saw Anakin staring into space again, and drumming his fingers on the table.  
  
"Actually it was a quite affair, a very, very quite affair." She stammered trying to avoid the chief's piercing gaze.   
  
"Only a handful of my closest aids and close family were present at the wedding." At the word "wedding" Anakin's head jerked around, he stared at her, his jaws hanging, she kicked him hard under the table, which got his jaw back to where it belonged.  
  
Twirling a loose lock of her hair in her fingers she turned to look at him, giving him a shy love struck smile.   
  
He straightened up and composed himself nodding his head at the chief. "Yea! Only close friends." He repeated, nodding like a fool, with no idea where all this was going.  
  
"It was my intention of making it official on my birthday two month later. My people would naturally want to make it a grand affair. But this coup got in the middle and..." Amidala shrugged.  
  
Couldn't you wait until the official ceremony?" he asked.  
  
"No!" She cut in abruptly thinking fast for an answer. She gave Anakin another kick.   
"Well we...er hmm... thought we would have some time to our selves!" Anakin said playing along with her. "After the official ceremonies I will be bestowed by some official title, which will keep me too busy. I feared we would not have enough time to our selves." He said shrugging and over gesturing in a manner that had her giggling behind her hand.   
  
"I see!" the chief said with a skeptical look on his face. So do you have the witness list?  
"No!" Amidala cut in; "we sort of left in a hurry."  
  
Actually, my people were concerned that a Kinanah was taking refuge here. He said looking her straight in the eyes. The fact that you don't have proof of your marriage compounds the problem immensely.  
  
"Amidala's heart missed a beat."  
"Unfortunately we city dwellers don't go round carrying our marriage certificates with us," Amidala said in a solemn tone.   
  
"But the Capa do! "  
  
Amidala raised an eyebrow in surprise! Chief Wakabu called out to his guard. He pointed to the amulet tattooed on the guard's arm, a flying bird of some kind.   
"Each family had their own individual tattoo." he explained.  
  
"I had to confirm it from you; though I am aware that your moral standards are as high as any Capa maiden's but some elements in my council prefer to label all outsiders as debauched." With that the chief got up, advising the queen to rest some more.  
  
"I am sure you two would want some time together." He said as he headed for the door. 


	28. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 28

Amidala sagged into her chair.  
"What was that about?" Anakin asked as soon as the door was shut behind them. "What's a kinanah? And why did you lie to him about us?"  
  
Anakin we're in a mess!" She said, with a hardened expression.   
  
  
"Its all my fault..." He began and was about to tell her about the ring incident in the infirmary, but Amidala stopped him.  
  
"No Anakin, its MY fault, I have to be fair and take the responsibility. I should've explained every thing out there on the mesa-I would have if anger hadn't gotten the better of me." She said sighing heavily.   
  
"If it is proven that we're not married..." She paused.   
  
"Then what?" He asked, stretching his legs on the chair next to her. The idea of being called the queen's husband sounded quite appealing to him.  
  
"At the least it will cause a scandal that will strip the chief off his leadership and me of my throne. At the most we could die?" She said grimly.   
  
Then after a pause "I don't know about me but they certainly won't spare you".  
  
"Die?" Anakin repeated incredulously as he sat up straight.  
  
"Why?   
  
"Because you have violated the law of itohi,"  
  
"Why is this law so important? Asked Anakin, scrunching his brows together "don't think I've heard about it before.  
  
"The Capa have many laws governing the tribe. They made twelve laws-which they call the greater laws of life and hundreds of other lesser laws. Mostly the laws stressed human harmony with nature. But the greater laws could never be broken. The penalty for doing so was death. And itohi-...is one of the greater laws.  
  
"Death for trespassing, don't you thinks that's gross?"  
  
Before she could answer the maid came in to clean up the breakfast table.  
  
Amidala walked over to the window and stared out at the endless vista of green disappearing up into the mountains, trailing the rocky behemoths like a gigantic mantle.  
  
Anakin watched as the maid left the room and closed the door behind her. Leaning on the window frame, arms crossed on his chest, he observed the serene features of the queen as a cool breeze gently swept back loose strands of hair off her face. He could see the far off mountains reflected in the dark pool of her brown eyes.  
  
"So you were saying?" Anakin questioned, hating himself for disturbing the beautiful picture before him.  
  
She broke out of her reverie with a startle, surprised to find him standing near her.  
  
"You were telling me about their savage law, the one about bachelors."  
  
'Oh Yes! Itohi- the ban of a bachelor from the main village at pain of death. Boys of age fifteen are moved out to the warrior villages where they stay till they are married, then only are they allowed back in to the main village."  
  
"Agreed such a law is cruel, but what's that got to do with us?" Anakin asked nonchalantly.   
  
"If it cannot be proved that you are my hus…band, you'll be hanging from one of those Kara trees outside the village gate before sundown." She said. Suddenly she reached a slender hand, placing it lightly on his arm.  
  
There was a silent pause as the two stared at each other. Anakin saw the concern in her eyes.  
  
  
"Isn't that going too far!" He snorted, throwing up his arms in a helpless gesture. "Death for wondering into the village by mistake! Surely there must be more lenient with outsiders who're ignorant of their laws."   
  
"You remember about the Capa's opposition to the last government that I told you about. Well this particular law was the cause of that bloody and lengthy conflict in which several hundred warriors gave their lives."   
  
Anakin shook his head in dismay," Why should they be paranoid about a bunch of bachelors?" He said. "I mean all the other peoples of Naboo are usually peaceful and extremely tolerant."  
  
The queen walked over to the corner with the arranged sofas. "The Capa are not indigenous to Naboo-They've been here for only about 3000 years." She said as she sat down in one of the armchairs. Anakin raised an eyebrow. "The Naboo were here 7000 years before them!" She added in reply to his gesture.  
  
"From where did they come and how did they land here?" Anakin asked plopping heavily onto the settee facing the queen.  
  
"It's a long story!" she said. Observing her nails, which were in dire need of a good manicure-though Anakin would've considered them perfect.  
  
"So we have all day!" Anakin said, as he stretched out on the plush coach, resting his hands behind his head.  
  
Amidala too leaned back and began to recount Capa history.   
  
The Capa are a race that originally migrated from a planet called Azmoria, now long forgotten. It was one of the biggest and technically advanced planets of the great Ceza system. Ruled by the planet's elders for millennia it enjoyed a peaceful and quite existence where modern technology and traditional values coexisted in harmony. They also co-existed peacefully with its smaller neighbors. War and destruction were unknown to them.   
  
A group of ambitious young people calling themselves the modernists rose to power. They promised a much better life and more power to the people of Azmoria. To them tradition and religion were meaningless obstacles to Azmoria's ultimate destiny-to rule all of the Ceza system.  
  
The Capa hold their ancestor in great respect but the modernist contented that there was no point in worshipping the dead. They ruthlessly prosecuted the elders and any one who backed their ideas. Within a century the whole social structure of Azmorian society changed drastically. Even the sacred covenant of marriage was scorned; giving rise to a new sexual freedom that destroyed the last fabric of the family structure and was replaced by selfishness and greed. The cities became hives of criminal activity.   
  
Some people still hung to their old ways-though surreptitiously. They gathered other like minded people and escaped the planet. Some 5000 left the planet; they searched for several years staying here and there till they found Naboo, which was very similar topographically to their planet.   
  
The Nubians being less in numbers themselves welcomed them when they learnt that the Capa were only interested in living in isolated villages and would not compete with them for agricultural land or industrial resources. Just like they had accepted gungans-whose interests did not overlap that of the Naboo. So the three races live in harmony.  
  
Azmoria was destroyed by its own ingenuity. Stressing power and strength the modernist invested all the planet's resources into weapons stockpiles. Newer and more formidable weapons were developed which were ultimately used against them.  
  
Azmoria may have been big and technically more formidable than its neighbors-who though smaller were greater in numbers. Perceiving Azmoria as a threat to their existence the smaller planets joined forces against the common enemy. War broke out and Azmoria was completely wiped out in the ensuing battle, when a freak enemy fighter crashed into a main depot storing extremely hazardous biological and chemical weapons. Nothing remains on the once great planet of Azmoria except a vast desert and poisoned seas.  
  
The Capa vowed such a fate would not befall them or their descendants in their new homeland. The remaining elders formulated new laws-laws much more formidable than prevalent among them in Azmoria.  
  
Anakin nodded his head knowingly. "This is pretty serious but there must be some way out. I'm sure there is." He said, as he looked at the sullen faced queen. 


	29. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 29

POST # 39  
  
We'll escape once it's dark, he said.   
  
Escape to where? We'll not only be dodging rebel forces but Capa warriors too. They are excellent trackers we won't have a chance against them. Besides running means admitting to our guilt I would hate to let the old man down. He tries so hard for his people to trust me; this would surely hurt his prestige and cost him the leadership of over 50 years. We have to think of something else."   
  
"The chief was pretty skeptical." Anakin said, scratching his unshaven chin. "I don't think he fell for it"  
  
"And why not?"   
  
"Well let's just say that we don't exactly act like a newly married couple. And these people have eyes-four instead of two." Anakin answered.  
  
"That maid did give me a strange look, when she bought breakfast today-I won't be surprised if she reports directly to the chief himself."  
  
"Anakin I was sick, I just left my bed hours ago! I don't think anyone would expect to find me waltzing in your arms."   
  
He shrugged. I'm just suggesting that we should act more... he made a gesture, "You know more..."  
  
Amidala suddenly stood up. "Anakin! What exactly are you hinting at?"  
  
"Hey! Do not get excited. I'm not suggesting any thing drastic. This an emergency you know,"  
  
"So?" She said in her icy queenly tone.   
  
"Well you can become a common handmaiden and mingle with the lowly scum of Tatooine when the situation calls for it, so why can't you just act a little more... spousally with me. Just for a little while."  
  
Amidala rolled her eyes. "Mooning and fawning over you-over anybody-is something I can't do! It's just not me!"  
  
Shrugging with an affected frown, he slumped into his seat. "Okay fine! As you wish, I have seen monarchs give their lives for their subjects."  
  
"You are not my subject!"  
  
"I am more to you then you ever imagined," He said in an even tone. Anakin stood up and began to pace about.  
  
"But I assure you that you will not find another gallant and brave protector than me." He said puffing up his chest."  
  
"Nor one with an ego so huge, I pity the poor tree that'll have to bear all that weight."  
  
  
Suddenly Anakin loped over to her. Before she realized what he was up to he grabbed her by the arms and was pulling her to him. Amidala pulled away desperately.  
  
"Anakin! What the Sith's hell are you doing? Take your dirty hands off me now!" she growled.  
  
"Someone's coming," he said still pulling her to him-"It's the chief, comes! Just go along with me,"   
  
"No!" She grunted. "It'll be worse if he ever finds out we aren't married, he'll suspect us of being immoral"  
  
By this time the door was already opening, it was obvious Amidala wouldn't go along so he tried another strategy.  
  
Anakin lifted his hand and brought it down on her cheek with a loud smack. It connected just as the chief stuck his head in, sending her flying dramatically onto the couch.  
  
The chief was shocked. He ran to towards fallen the queen, a couple of his guards ran to restrain the angry man.  
  
Amidala looked at him with disbelief, tears stinging her eyes. Helping her up the chief turned to Anakin.   
  
"You better have a good explanation! Young man" he said. Anakin shook off the guards' grip rudely.  
  
"Chief this is a private matter between husband and wife. I don't think...  
  
"Son you can speak to me freely. Rifts are common between husband and wives especially the newly weds. Things can be worked out peacefully if the matter is cleared though mediation. Most of the village people come to me for advice I think I can help you two. Now what is your problem?"  
  
Anakin looked at the two guards; the chief nodded to them and they left the room.  
  
  
"She expects me to be faithful to her but waives her responsibility to me. She is always tired or sick or out on official visits." Anakin said in a despairing tone,  
  
"I have been relegated from her list of priorities for just too long," He added in a pained tone as he clutched as his head and pulled at his hair.  
  
"Ask her! Ask her yourself!" He screamed dramatically pointing an angry finger at the prone figure on the couch,  
  
"When did she last come to my bed!" Amidala's eyes went wide and her cheeks flushed red, she looked liked she was going to faint.  
  
  
"Is it true my daughter that you have neglected your holy duties to your husband?" She gave Anakin a helpless stare-then she lowered her eyes as her face went crimson red. She doubled over on the couch and hid her face pretending to cry.  
  
"She is guilty!" Anakin turned to the chief. "Her tears say so." He said standing over her, his hands on his hips, playing the typically over bearing husband.   
  
"Anakin I can understand how frustrating it is not have your wife's utmost attention. But there are other ways to convince them. Women are delicate and vulnerable if you use your strength against them you could cause permanent damage-besides she could be with child you must be very careful with her.  
  
  
"Hearing this Amidala's sobs grew louder and her body racked with the effort.  
In truth the "poor pathetic creature' couldn't stop laughing. She was laughing so hard that she had to hold her stomach, which made the chief more concerned.  
  
  
The kind chief's heart ached at the sight of the poor creature. "Anakin I think the healer should have a look at her, I fear that you may have been too rough on her."   
  
"No!" She said bobbing up, eyes read with tears (from laughing too much) " I'm alright" She said between sniffs. She couldn't look at Anakin fearing she would burst again if he made some gesture at her.  
  
"Are you sure?" The chief asked putting his hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Yes! Just get this brute out of here!" She said looking daggers at Anakin. She could not keep up the charade for long, if Anakin did not leave the room she feared she would burst out. As Queen she had the utmost control on her emotions, but Panaka hadn't prepared her for situations this.  
  
"Okay! Okay I'm leaving. Chief! Please talk some sense into her."  
  
Anakin stomped to the door. He looked at Amidala as he reached for the door, doing a little victory dance behind the chief's back before slipping out and slamming the door behind him.  
  
That sent her rolling to the couch again.  
  
The chief looked back and saw Anakin disappear through the door. He nodded his head hopelessly then looked at the poor tormented creature.  
  
The chief started to lecture her. Naturally Amidala's blood was boiling-The husband who had beaten his wife just walked away-the poor wife who'd suffered a slap had to put up with a lecture as well.   
  
"Look daughter as a man with over 75 years behind me I have to tell this one truth, the failure or success of a marriage unfortunately rests solely on the women. If you accept this truth, your life will be much easier.  
  
"Easy!" she said, wiping her tears and making a sad face, her queenly control back into play.  
  
"You just saw him slap me," She said in a sorrowful tone.  
  
"Now miss -you have all the power, now I don't mean in the capacity as queen-you can control him but you can't make him love you, I mean the power that you wield as a woman. If you use your head and pull the right strings then you will have your man begging at your feet. But if you insist on a tug of war then the two of you will be at loggerheads all your life."  
  
  
Thanks! Thanks but no thanks for the advice! Dear cheify. Amidala was thinking.  
  
"But Anakin is so easy to anger. He has such a temper." She said out loud.  
  
Anakin is headstrong and dominating-to you, your highness anyone less will not do. I'm not sure a weak person could protect you from the many ambitious elements that are always planning and plotting to see you fall. Nor would you be happy with a weak 'yes ma'am' kind of man."  
  
"That is true," Amidala thought. "Yes ma'am, yuck!"  
  
Maybe that's what attracted you to him in the first place his boldness.  
  
"Well er yes! But he was really sweet to me then. He's been grouchy since some days"  
  
"I can understand. It's obvious that he cares a lot about you. He was so upset when he brought you here, my men say he was ready to kill. He seems like a man of action. Is he a soldier by any chance?" The chief asked.  
  
"He is a pilot in the Royal Naboo Security Forces."  
  
"Ah! A pilot! That is why he is so restless and easily agitated." The chief rubbed his a chin for a second.  
  
"He seeks adventure and thrill, he will be bored to death trapped in this small village." He paused, thinking "I will ask my son to entertain him at the warrior village where there are many activities that he will enjoy."  
  
"What kind of activities?" Amidala asked skeptically.  
  
The chief laughed. "Don't worry Anakin will not be with corrupting company. The warrior's idea of fun is mostly sporting competitions and hunting. Anakin will love it. He will come home tired and tamed, from a roaring lion to a purring cat." She gave the chief a satisfied smile.   
  
"I think that is a great idea." She said. And it'll take him out of my hair for a little while, she thought.  
  
"Promise me that you will do your duty then." The chief said wagging a crooked finger at her. Amidala blushed again.  
  
"I... err..hmm," she stammered.  
  
Oh! My God! She thought, how can I be discussing this with a 75-year-old man? Even if I were married, shouldn't I be discussing this my mother."   
  
"I don't think I could face him...err...just yet. Can't you keep him one night? Tomorrow I promise to be a dutiful wife. I just don't feel well enough right now."   
  
"Sure! Sure!" said the chief." I'm sure Liane could arrange that."  
  
The chief gave a satisfied smile. One more good deed done! He thought as he turned to leave the room. He loved to get estranged couples to make up; it gave him a lot of satisfaction.  
  
As soon as he left, Anakin came in. "Looks like the old geyser fell for it." he said grinning.   
  
"Anakin that was quick thinking." She said smiling as he came to stand before her rather proud of himself.  
  
"But your not going to save your neck at my expense!" Anakin noticed that there was something foreboding about the way she was standing with her hands on her hips.  
  
"Uhh! Now look! You know it was necessary-Hey I didn't mean it..." He began to back off as she advanced menacingly towards him. "Now your majesty, be a good sport!"  
  
Amidala grabbed his ear and twisted it hard. He rolled away on the bed, she jumped after him pinching and boxing him with her little fist. Anakin curled into a ball, guffawing-which made her more cross. Grabbing a handful of his hair she pulled it back with all her might.  
  
"Slapping your Queen-Anakin Skywalker you won't get away with it."  
  
Anakin was still laughing as he reached out behind him and catching her by her sleeve he pulled her down. She toppled over him and landed on her back right next to him.  
  
"Ahem!"   
  
They both jumped up. The chief was standing in the doorway.  
  
" I hope I am not interfering?"  
  
"Not at all. In fact you have come at a very good time."  
Anakin said jumping from the bed.   
  
"Your daughter here was taking advantage of the restrain that you advised me of," he said.   
  
He was chagrined that the people here did not have the habit of knocking. He would've sensed him but with Amidala so close to him he was oblivious to his other senses.  
  
"Chief you saw what she was doing." He said trying to dispel the awkwardness. The chief gave an uneasy smile. He had already concluded that the young lovers were playing games.  
  
"This happens son. Young couples fight then make up. Soon you two will learn to accept and live with each other's good and bad qualities."  
  
Then turning to Amidala, who was trying to put her hair back in order, he said, "Your highness I got rather embroiled in your little disagreement and completely forgot for what I have come here for in the fist place."  
  
"Ah! Yes! Now I remember. You said that the two of you got married in a very simple ceremony. I have planned a dinner tomorrow where you two will get married again but in a more joyous atmosphere as befits a chief's daughter." 


	30. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 30

The Chief waited for them to answer, but the two of them just stood there. Anakin chanced a side ward glance, and noticed Amidala staring at the chief-mouth open. She had been caught off guard, believing them to be off the hook after their small drama earlier on. Anakin nudged her very subtly with his elbow. She was in this alone.  
  
  
"No!" She blurted the minute she got her tongue back.  
  
"Why?" The chief asked, taken aback by her reaction. This wasn't the reaction he'd expected.  
  
"Surely there was no harm for a couple in taking the ring ceremony a second time." he said. He knew rich couples in the cities performed it every year just as an excuse to celebrate and spend money.  
  
"My mother would... forbid... it. It is considered bad luck in our family. It is believed that one of them will suffer an early death."  
  
The chief gave a snort.  
  
"It is believed," he said with a hard tone. Come now daughter I know you better than that." Amidala bit her lip wanting to kick herself.  
  
The chief gave a heavy sigh and sat down on the sofa."I will have to tell you the truth."  
  
Anakin and Amidala looked at him, expecting him to expose some cloak and dagger conspiracy.  
  
"There are detractors in my council," He said looking very serious, "who are seeking an excuse to prove that they do not owe you any loyalty." He stopped to let that sink in.  
  
"Moreover they are not convinced that you are with your consort-a very serious accusation though not yet charged but insinuated heavily. They have demanded to see the witness list. Either that or..." The chief threw out his hands in exasperation.  
  
After witnessing their little rift he himself was 100% convinced but convincing his council of elders was another thing. They bore an unexplained animosity towards the young queen.   
  
  
  
"I want to convince them once and for all that Anakin is your legal consort." He said.  
  
"I have planned a ring ceremony for the two of you. I will be your witness. No Capa will dare to challenge it."  
  
"By accepting the ring a second time I would in effect be accepting their accusations. I have my status to think about." Amidala said, her tone hard as ice.  
  
"How dare they doubt the me!" Amidala replied hotly. She was really getting fed up with all this. She would not be cornered into any thing by a handful of pagans.  
  
  
"Please Amidala! Be reasonable. This a matter of life and death!" He said placing a hand on her shoulder in an effort to mollify her. "I do not want them to hurt you in any way."  
  
  
"Can I discuss it with my husband?" Amidala asked. The chief looked at her with a raised eyebrow, I'll be back in about an hour-though I don't see what there is to discuss. I also beg you to put your trivial inhibitions aside and think about the honor of this old chief. Please do not do any thing rash." He said waving a finger at her. That little warning in effect closed all the other (back) doors she'd considered using as a last resort.  
  
  
Anakin leaned back against the window frame and observed the queen wondering why she was so flustered. He thought the chief's idea was tops.  
  
  
"Then we'll exchange rings." Anakin said as soon as the door closed behind the chief.  
  
  
"What? Get married!" She said spinning around to face him with such force; her skirt went twirling around her like a dancers.  
  
"We're supposed to be married," Anakin reminded her coolly. "We'll just be acting the ceremony to them. I think it is a brilliant idea"  
  
"Anakin you ask of me something that is impossible." She hissed, her eyes glowing with anger.  
  
"Impossible!" he repeated," just take this damned ring from me and wear it! Go home and forget it! Who will know? Good old Wakabu will be forgotten once we leave his realm. No one will know anything," Anakin stated vehemently. It was obvious he was getting impatient with all this unnecessary fuss.  
  
But the Queen would not agree. "Its not that simple Anakin, the law forbids it. This is a holy vow, I cannot, especially as the Queen hide it or lie about it."   
  
"The contract can be broken," Anakin said, "surely it's not iron clad or something."  
  
"The wife will break the contract if and when she chooses by returning the ring, again against ten witnesses and she's free," Amidala said.  
  
"That should be easy, so why all this fuss?"   
  
"Only thing is I will be bound to your wishes for a whole year. I cannot return the ring before that." She added. "Aaand ...it is quite looked down upon in our society." She said hesitantly.  
  
Anakin gave a snort. "Trust me your majesty, I am your humble servant now and will be after that ring is exchanged." She did not say anything. He started to walk away, "If you think of a better way out then tell me."   
"But I'm not going to let them make a tree top decoration out of me" He said as he closed the door behind her. 


	31. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 31

POST # 41  
  
Amidala wished she hadn't come here in the first place. It was getting dangerous here.  
  
Though they could not try the Queen, she searched for a way out with Anakin's skin and her dignity intact. If all else failed she would let Anakin make a run for it.   
  
The messenger arrived; Anakin was waiting at the lakeside when he arrived. He had a message from Obi-wan, it seemed that it wasn't possible for them to send the bongo right away-the only bongo in their services was on a mission to Otoh Gunga where a delegation of Naboo was negotiating for Gungan help in the current situation. Anakin gave the news to Amidala, but she was not happy. She would've liked it if they'd sent the Bongo with the boy.   
  
Amidala was hoping outside help might just come before she was forced into any difficult situations. Anakin wasn't the consort she was thinking about. She thought now about the prince. What if she had accepted his proposal? Certainly she would not be in this mess. One message would've put thousands of troop and armor at her disposal and she wouldn't be a helpless fugitive at the mercy of a pagan tribe's pagan laws like she was now. Perhaps she should not have been so complacent about her political position.  
  
Suddenly she felt so helpless and vulnerable. She heaved a big sigh as she threw her self among the pillows on the bed.  
  
"Yes! What she needed right now was a strong consort, one she could depend on. Not a boy five years her younger. A Jedi padawan, wanting in experience. What would the people say about him?" She thought of the press that would be filled with his inadequacies, they would not spare him nor forgive his mistakes.  
  
The more she thought about it the more she feared that was the path she would've have to take.  
  
She looked at the ceiling, as she turned around the days events in her mind. Getting up from the bed she walked over to the window and stared at the mountains far in the distance-at least hers eyes seemed to be staring. But her mind was doing the unthinkable.  
  
Thinking of the possibilities of Anakin as her husband. Not as a consort but as her husband, could she love him-she just couldn't imagine him in that light. He was handsome no doubt but she'd always considered him as a younger brother or friend.   
  
It seemed almost perverted for a sober twenty five year old queen to be tied in marriage to happy go lucky Jedi padawan. If any one had suggested it before she'd have considered it a bad joke.   
  
To the Capa though nothing seemed to be amiss as far as age or status was concerned. To them the main quality for a choice husband was his strength and honor- to excel at the village sports and hunt well.   
  
  
The door creaked behind her and she swung around, she didn't know why she did not want it to be Anakin. It was the chief. She felt her heart slip down to her toes. She hadn't yet decided-but then she knew there was no choice. As queen, she had to accept her fate. It was not the first time that she had sacrificed her own little dream for the good of the greater cause.  
  
"Well!" Said the chief.  
  
"Chief Wabaku! You are one of my most trusted and reliable friends. I have in fact always thought of you as a father-I would never betray or disgrace you in anyway." She said in a regal tone.  
  
"So you have decided!"   
  
  
"Yes!I…We have decided to attend your dinner, I support any action you take to keep your dignity intact. Exchanging the ring again will be no problem, as Anakin is my husband."  
  
Wakabu gave her a wide toothless grin." 


	32. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 32

The chief had sent his aide to let her know that the banquet would be held the next day, starting with sundown and into the night.   
  
Anakin would be at the warrior village for the day, the chief had promised her that they would keep him there for the night too. She just hoped Anakin would agree-because even now he felt that her safety was his responsibility. She did not want him with her in the same room, somehow she felt uncomfortable to be alone with him now.  
  
But she was apprehensive of being lonely too. She missed her handmaidens and longed for the daily evening tea gatherings they had-where they were more than just attendants. They'd share jokes and giggle away at Rabe's imitations of the ministers. Sache would then bomb them with the latest little gossips and court scandals. Where she got them? God only knew! But she always managed to get them even before the press got to it. Amidala sighed as she took out her datapad and slumped down heavily into the couch.  
  
  
Anakin meanwhile was swooping fast through the trees, a whole bunch of warriors in his wake. All making enough noise to shake the slumbering mountains. The pack raced toward a distant lonely rock rising right in the middle of the jungle.  
  
Liane, the chief's flamboyant son, had promised Anakin the time of his life. First they would head for the Ruka'a falls where they would set up camp, they would then head into the western forest to hunt soraboo for lunch. The creatures made tasty kabobs but would be challenging to hunt, as they were one of the fastest and most agile animals of the forest here.  
  
Liane reminded him that the hunters would be armed only with their spears and scooties. In the old days the hunters would've ridden kaadus.  
  
Anakin hadn't had so much fun in years, being in the company of so many young boys around his own age. He'd hunted before with his master but that wasn't so much fun. His master always reminded him of his responsibilities. Anakin hunted down no less than three of the total five animals that they'd all hunted, impressing the warriors with his speed and skill with the spear 


	33. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 33

The chief's daughter and wife came to the guesthouse to keep the young women company. They found her sprawled on the sofa, a data pad resting precariously on her breasts. Wainla, the younger of the two coughed. Amidala jumped up sending the pad crashing to the floor. She picked it up sheepishly grinning at the two.   
  
"Hi! She said, giving them a small smile and shaking her head to clear it." I thought it was my husband.  
  
The two smiled knowingly. "I know how it is when one is newly married," said Wainla, "I've been married just six months. I miss my Faraj too!"   
  
They sat down by her side after introducing themselves to her. The servants later brought tea and the three chatted late in to the evening. Amidala was glad for their company. Though she couldn't understand why she jumped up every time the door would open. The two ladies though, thought they understood it all too well.  
  
The chief's wife was one mean talker. She was sharp and intelligent. She had many village fool stories to share reducing the two girls to tears as they rolled on the couch. Even her historical accounts of the Capa were spiced with wit and humor. Amidala was sincerely sorry to see them go as they took their leave for dinner.   
  
"Will Anakin be coming home for dinner?" she asked Wainla in an offhanded way. Wainla shrugged "I think Faraj will be home-can't imagine him to stay away the night! He hasn't done so since we've been married." She began to close the door-then suddenly stuck her head back in, "Maybe he'll manage to drag Anakin back too out of the rowdy warriors' clutches." With that she winked at Amidala and then she was gone, leaving Amidala blushing in the middle of the room.  
  
As soon as the door closed behind them, her loneliness crowded down upon her and it seemed to strangle her. Later there was small knock on the door; her heart began to beat.   
"Anakin!" she whispered "Oh! No!"   
  
"Come in!" she said with a shaky voice.  
  
It was the service boy with the dinner. She sighed with relief tinged with a little bit of disappointment. 


	34. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 34

POST # 44  
  
Anakin took his leave from the warriors at the cross road to the main village. He banked the speeder bike hard as he sped past a bend in the forest leading to the main village. He was smiling to himself, happy at the thought of seeing Padmé again. He didn't know he would miss her this much. He had stared at the full moon most of the night, unable to sleep. He had been thinking of her all the time.  
  
He saw a lot of activity around the village; it seemed that the whole village was preparing for something. But no one wanted to speak to him. They would scamper away as soon as they saw who he was. Anakin wondered if this is the way they treated all strangers or were they so aloof because they suspected him of being a kinanah. It certainly didn't look like they were preparing for a hanging, more like some kind of a celebration.  
  
Anakin saw more activity in their room,   
  
"what's going on he asked?" He looked around for the Queen. About a dozen girls were crowding round something and jabbering noisily. They started to giggle and nudge each other when they saw him.   
  
He called out to the queen again from the safety of the doorway, this time a voice answered from somewhere in the middle of the girls. They moved away. He saw her and was so pleased to see a familiar face again. She was beautiful, he thought.  
  
"Anakin I have decided to go to the dinner." Amidala shouted trying to turn her head but was prevented from doing so by the young girl attending to her hairdo.  
  
"The chief said to tell you to go to the warrior village where they will help you prepare." She added.  
  
Anakin began to walk back to the bike-not sure what the chief wanted with him in the village-he looked at his tattered clothes and wondered what she meant by 'prepare you'.   
  
Anakin had come to tell her how much he missed her last night-but could not do so because of the crowd around her. He wanted desperately to be alone with her for a while. "This dinner is going to keep her away from me," he thought glumly.  
  
  
  
Back in the village Liane was waiting for him and immediately took him to a room filled with other warriors. They all crowded round him and made a lot of fuss over him. Anakin felt very important.   
  
"Now this is how people should be treating guests." He said with a puffed chest. The boys helped him to wash up  
and dressed him up in strange clothes.   
  
Long sleeved Shirt with tight long pants, high leather boots and a thick belt at the waist, waist coats on top. They tied a sort of high square turban round his head. Everything was white except the boots which were a bright shiny black. One of the boys helped tie the endless lace on it as the boots nearly came to his knees. Liane told him this was the uniform of Capa princes when they attended official ceremonies, as consort of the Queen you will be treated just like a prince.  
  
Anakin looked in the mirror and he saw a handsome tall prince looking back at him.  
  
"My sword would have completed the uniform," he told Liane. A boy from behind held his saber out to him. He snapped it to his belt then looked at himself again very pleased with what he saw.   
  
After they'd dressed him up. All the other boys too dressed up in military style uniforms and head dresses similar to his but of a different color they all wore black.  
  
After they were ready they just hung about there talking and jibbing. Anakin was the center of their jibes.   
  
"You don't know what a break you have given us, Anakin" Liane said. We are allowed into the main village only to attend the wedding ceremony of our fellow kinanahs. It is months sometimes years before that happens.  
  
Anakin wanted to know who's wedding it was-how lucky to be at the village when a wedding was taking place he thought.   
  
"You're wedding stupid!" Liane told him,  
"but ...but ...I'm... I'm married already."  
  
So that was a small affair this is the real thing; the grand wedding. Anakin was so excited, his feet were trembling. He hoped the bride was the Queen and not another Capa surprise. He remembered the Queen surrounded by those girls and she looked so pretty. Anakin couldn't help smiling. 


	35. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 35 The wed...

It seemed like forever before the Chief sent a pack of warriors over to escort the groom and his entourage to the main village. Anakin's legs seemed to go weak all of a sudden. If not for Liane's support, Anakin was sure he'd be rolling down those steps.   
  
They came out into the fresh air. It was almost nightfall. The group would ride gaily-decorated kadu while the groom and one of his friends would ride the only famba that stood by the steps. Anakin decided to take Liane as his mulgare(best man)  
  
The whole party ambled towards the gate of the warrior village where they were preceded by a noisy band of musicians and young men bearing lighted torches. Along the way others-guest from neighboring villages heading for the main village-joined the group. Soon it was a long procession of singing and dancing humanity. Children were everywhere, squealing and shouting in delight.  
  
Anakin looked around fascinated. A wide grin plastered on his face.   
  
"Wow! He thought, all this trouble for a padawan!" This was indeed strange for him to be given special treatment. Coming from an order that discouraged any special treatment except the treatment accorded by padawans to their seniors.   
  
Even being the chosen one didn't elicit a special status for him. He was the hero of many campaigns, distinguishing himself as a courageous pilot but back in the temple he was just another padawan and he hadn't thought it odd.  
  
As they neared the Main village, Anakin noticed that not only was the gate decorated with colorful light but the trees all around too shimmered with tiny lamps right up to the lofty tops.   
  
Guards rushed to open the gate, revealing more lights and decorations. Small globs of light hung in the air around them, seemingly tacked to the air. A long line of gaudily dressed young girls on either side of the path showered them with flower petals and chants of welcome.  
  
Anakin tried to pinch himself and flinched at the pain- "This is real."  
  
Once through the gate, the rest of the group fell back while a guard led the famba to a pedestal so that its passengers could get off gracefully. Chief Wakabu was there to receive them, embracing the groom and then his son, in a traditional welcome gesture of the host.   
  
The chief lead the way. They climbed some steps to a raised platform, over looking the village square, it was crowded with people; a boiling and churning sea of bobbing heads and hands as they moved to the lively music.  
  
Anakin wondered how the chief had managed to arrange this banquet on such a short notice. Hundreds of tiny oil lamps lined the gardens and walkways. A huge fountain flowed in the middle throwing a thin cool spray on the guests surrounding it.  
  
"How did all of them know there was a wedding here?" Anakin thought aloud.  
  
"The drums." Liane said. At noon the drummers relay the news from village to village and who ever hears it is invited.  
  
"How will you'll feed them-surely they won't be sent home hungry!"  
  
Lianne laughed. "Nothing lavish-simplicity is our key to a full life. All the chiefs are invited-each one gets a pre-arranged number of animals or game birds and then the warriors roast them on open fires."  
  
Chief Wakabu led him to circle of chairs with regal looking gentlemen seated on it all with square turbans piled on their heads. This was the only time he saw them dressed; Capa men were half naked most of the time wearing only their customary animal skins around their waist.   
The women wore long sheets draped around their bodies.   
  
Anakin was led to all the chairs one by one where Chief Wakabu introduced council members, and other village chieftains to him and Anakin was in turn introduced to them, as his son-in-law Anakin Skywalker. Short greetings were exchanged and then onto the next guest.   
  
At last he was led to a high chair set in the middle of the circle. The other boys all stood around him, in at ease position, with their hands locked before them. Chief Wakabu was running the show; there was a lot of ordering around.   
  
  
  
Anakin felt the stares of over two dozen old men drilling through him. Somehow he felt they did not like him, so he just hung his head down not daring to stare back at them. He pulled Liane by the sleeves so that he was leaning over and whispered to him.  
  
"Where is the bride he asked, when can I see her."   
  
"Be patient, she is with the women." Lianne answered with a smile.  
  
Presently Wakabu came; he had a small box with him. I present this ring to Anakin Skywalker so that he may present it to my daughter. Anakin was very grateful to the Chief. He just remembered he was getting married, without a ring. At that moment Anakin could have kissed old Wakabu on the cheeks, but he was so awkwardly stiff and rigid. He didn't trust himself to take two steps without falling. So he thought it wise to just sit quite.  
  
It seemed like eternity before the boys behind seemed to stir and whisper among themselves.   
  
"We'll be going soon." Liane announced. The boys were excited too. This was their rare chance to look out for future partners.  
  
Besides wedding ceremonies there was the yearly graduating party for Kinanahs graduating from their bachelor training, which could last from 3 to 5 years. Parents brought their eligible daughters to be introduced to the bachelors. That's where 80 percent boys found their brides.   
  
"Here comes father!" Liane announced. The boys filed quickly on either side of the groom. "Now remember boys, proud warriors don't ogle! So keep those eyes straight ahead-Let the girls ogle at us." He ordered the boys before his father came in the room, then they all stood at attention.   
  
  
  
Chief Wakaba walked along side the groom, as he was lead to join the bride. Anakin was looking for his bride in a rush of gaudy faces and costumes. He couldn't see her anywhere in the sea of human heads and shoulders. 


	36. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 36 where i...

Amidala had always been interested in the local cultures of the various Naboo tribes, especially the ancient ones. Well now she was getting to experience first hand the culture of this ancient tribe. Only she wasn't so excited about it right now.  
  
She thought she would faint from all these people crowding round her, the net veil draped on her face made things worse.   
  
  
She wore an elaborate lace dress that was dotted with pearls. It was fitting at the top and free flowing below the waist. The lace was almost transparent, so she wore an off shoulder blouse and white slacks underneath with white high heeled shoes to make up for her lack of height. Her hair too was done to compensate for the height difference with the groom. It had been piled high above her head; a wreath of white rolla flowers encircling it.   
  
A set of pearl earrings and a string of small pearls with one big tear shaped stone in the middle around her neck comprised her jewelry. The narrow sleeves of her dress were cuffed with more pearls making it look like she was wearing white pearl bracelets. She carried a lone white Celisa flower as big as a child's head with five white curled petals, serving as her bouquet. A white oversized veil made of delicate net covered her from head to foot. The over all effect was one of purity and mystery, like a forest nymph seen through the morning mist.  
  
  
  
"What have I talked myself into?" She thought. "A simple dinner!" The chief had said. "Huh!"   
  
She had expected a simple ceremony in front of a few grumpy chieftains. Instead here she was, sitting on an oversized throne of colorful plumes, perched on top of a raised dais, which seemed to be a permanent feature of a large square in the center of the village.   
  
  
Nearly a thousand people, men, women and children were crammed in the square, dressed in their gaudy best. Guests had been pouring in from the nearby villages, and were arriving in large drove even now. The village drummers had been banging away all day inviting Chief Wakabu's subjects-which had been in turned relayed from village to village.  
  
The girls were fussing over her. They had arranged and rearranged her jewelry and veil so many times; any one that was not trained in the patience of a Naboo queen; might have exploded. She felt tired and sick. If only Anakin would come and get over with this misery. But there was no sign of him. She longed to see a familiar face of some civilized human.  
  
Weddings in the highlands of her home were so much simpler. Among the elaborate weddings the bride and groom would exchange the rings and take the oath in front of their guests. The witnesses would sign the documents. Then there would be dinner and dancing. The simple ones had no dinner just a light snack.   
  
But then the Capa considered marriage ceremonies as a once in a life time event. Capa married for life and usually did not remarry even after the death of a spouse.  
  
Amidala's cogitation was interrupted by a hush in the crowd. She looked up to see a group of smart young men, all dressed in black, heading their way. A tall handsome man dressed all in white like a rajah from the Orient system, walked in their midst.  
  
"Anakin!" Amidala whispered incredulously to her self.  
He was scrubbed and shaved, and those clothes, it was like they were made for him. Gone were the drab Jedi garbs and that untidy stubble in which she had seen him for the past so many days.  
  
Anakin beamed at her with a smile he could hardly repress. There was a hubbub in the group of girls behind her-her handmaidens she called them-The boys arrival seemed to have excited them. She looked at the group from the corner of her eyes. And was quite chagrined to see that they had eyes only for the groom-for her bodyguard. She was also angry with Anakin, that he should actually be enjoying himself.   
  
"Why this is just an act and he knows it." She thought angrily-nothing seemed to be going her way and there he was grinning and practically bursting with pride and joy.   
  
Anakin stood next to her, he coolly reached out and held her hand in his; it was warm and clammy.   
  
"Perhaps he needs to touch something familiar." she thought, but what surprised her was that his proximity was making her nervous.  
  
His touch sent a hot bolt through her arm, her palm was burning from it, she squirmed. Anakin tightened the grip on her hand lacing his fingers through hers. She had never been so nervous before, but then she reasoned, she had never been a bride before. Amidala closed her eyes.  
  
"This is not the real thing." she kept on repeating to her self and each time she repeated it, the words sounded more hollow and unreal. Her heart beat wildly. Her mind advised her to act with prudence, which always came to her naturally, yet she was angry with herself now.  
  
She was the Queen, always calm and composed, in the midst of battle or in court with dignitaries of the world, always in control of herself. But this was not the court and this was no war. This was a situation that confounded the woman in her. Something had struck her, deep within. It had released a ghost she had willed to imprisonment.   
  
  
Chieftains came onto the dais and took their places besides the bride and groom. Twenty chieftains of all Capaland come to bear witness to this wedding. Indeed it was a royal wedding.  
  
The chief announced that he was giving away his daughter Amidala of the Capa to Anakin Skywalker of Theed highlands. He bore witness along with... he painstakingly read out the list of names of all the distinguished witnesses and their lengthy titles.   
  
The bride and groom took the holy vow, promising to be one, forever to be loyal to each other in life and in death. After which the bride and the groom had to sign it  
  
Chief Wakabu announced that the groom would present the bride with the ring. Anakin pulled his hand away from her, dipping it into his pocket he took out the box, which the chief had given him. He held the ring out to the crowd and the stone dazzled with the brightness of a star. Amidala noticed that it was a rare and priceless jewel of ancient times-a diamond. A real one she guessed because the synthetic ones did not shine so brightly.   
  
Amidala held out her hand trying hard to keep her defiant posture. She was surprised to see that her hands were trembling. Anakin saw it.  
He looked at her knowingly, a huge grin cut through his beaming face. Holding her trembling fingers in one hand he slipped the ring on with the other.   
  
"This is it!" he said. "You are my wife now." Then he raised her veil over her head to stare down at the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She looked up at him defiantly, with a you-seem -to-be-enjoying-yourself look. Anakin smiled and shrugged his shoulder with the You-got-us-into-this-mess look.   
  
All this ceremony was getting to her. She forgot she was the queen. She was Amidala of the Capa and this was her warrior. She closed her eyes in expectation as he bent down to kiss her softly. Her heart was beating like a drum. No one had ever kissed her before.   
  
Anakin disengaged and stood up to his full height. For a moment they stared into each other's eyes. The crowd showered them with flowers and petals, cheering and congratulating them. The boys patting and thumping the groom, almost knocking him over. Wakabu asked the pair to sit. Anakin held her hand again as he bent towards her to hear what she had to say.   
  
"Anakin where were you? I thought I would die with boredom." She whispered in his ears.   
  
"I had to greet all those haughty chieftains." he told her, she started giggling as she looked around at them. Some of them had great feathers stuck to their turbans. Anakin told her that the feathers denoted some brave heroic act of the past. He had picked a lot of information from his friend Liane.  
  
"You look gorgeous!" He whispered to her. She felt an excited thrill run through her as he came close, his scent making her heady. Amidala sighed and leant back in her chair.  
  
"God! What is happening to me?" This is just a staged drama; I shouldn't be going all mushy like this. Anakin is so much younger than me-he's just a boy!" She thought to her self.  
  
But even as she tried to reason with herself, that boy's touch on her hand was making her melt like ice.  
  
They watched as the villagers rejoiced. For them this was a chance to celebrate, whether they were acquainted with the bride or groom was irrelevant. The drums began to beat slowly at first. The youth formed a circle, which seemed to become larger and larger as more and more, people joined in. Inside this circle was another circle, that of the female guests-obviously there were occasions when the village boys and girls were allowed to mix.  
  
They moved about in a synchronized deliberate way. The outer circle moving clockwise and the inner one anti-clockwise. The two rings would move a step in each other's direction then out again then they would clap in time to their steps and then repeat the first step. As the drum beat faster the pace of the dancers increased. The slower participants dropping out as the drums beat a faster pace-till only the young boys were left leaping and somersaulting wildly, intent on keeping up with the furious pace of the drums. Whoops and whistles filled the air.  
  
  
  
Anakin had a harebrained notion to join them; he looked at the dancers in rapt awe. He was happy for himself and for the young souls enjoying themselves.   
  
The two of them went numb when the chief came and whispered to them that it was time to go to their room. She felt Anakin's grasp tighten around her hand as he swallowed hard.   
  
Anakin felt her stiffen and he felt her hands become cold. He was aware of her unease at his nearness. 


	37. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 37 the wedd...

A whole troop escorted them to their room on the second floor of the guestrooms. Liane and his band of merry warriors clumped around Anakin, the Chief walked besides the bride, holding out his arm for support. Several little girls dressed in white frocks-hair decorated with flowered wreaths-and another dozen little boys-dressed like the warriors, turban and all-helped with the bride's flowing train. Behind them followed the bridesmaids, unusually quite, the presence of the chief insured that they behaved as ladies should.   
  
Liane and the other warriors kept up a cheery banter nudging and thumping Anakin now, laughing raucously on their own jokes.  
  
Anakin didn't seem to find anything funny though; he was only conscious of the heat radiating from the queen's hand through their laced fingers.  
  
Amidala had a hard time keeping up with Anakin because of her high-heeled shoes that kept slipping on the loose gravel.  
  
She groaned inwardly at the seemingly endless, twisting garden path leading to the guestrooms, her feet were killing her.   
  
"If Anakin decides to carry me I won't refuse," she thought. "But Anakin is too busy bantering with those loud mouthed pack of braggarts." She thought as she looked at his back again. "He might as well be towing a pack animal," She told herself. She tripped on her dress once more, and once more the chief steadied her for which she was grateful.  
  
They reached the foot of the wooden steps, suddenly she stopped; pulling her hand back rudely, Anakin stopped mid-step and looked back at her. Amidala gave him a defiant look, her lips a thin line. The group stopped and looked quizzically at the two, then without another word, she pushed passed him on the narrow steps, her veil brushing against his face as she practically ran up holding her dress with both hands.   
  
Anakin shrugged as the chief regarded him.   
"Every thing will be alright my boy. Trust me." The chief said as he patted him on the back.  
  
  
The boys stood by the door with the groom. Amidala heard more laughter and excited chatter. She was pacing angrily round the room, as Anakin opened the door she sat down fast on the couch, her back to the door. At last, the door closed and she slumped back exhausted, grateful that it was over. She knew one thing-she would not be getting married again very soon-whether this farce was final or not.  
  
Anakin first got rid of the cumbersome headpiece, throwing the turban on the table, he hurried over to Amidala; he could hardly hold his excitement-he'd wanted to be alone with her since he arrived from his hunting trip this morning.   
  
He stopped suddenly uncertain of his next move. Amidala began to pull out the string of flowers and pins holding her hair on top of her head. The loose ends fell down to her waist like a waterfall. It was obvious she was miffed at him and was pointedly ignoring him.  
  
Cautiously he approached her but she ignored him. Very deliberately, he pushed off the white fabric, streaming out behind her on the couch and gently lowered him-self there. He bent to pick up the discarded string of rolla flowers on the floor, wrapping it around his hand. Taking a whiff of the aromatic flowers, he relaxed against the couch the heady perfume making him giddy.  
  
He waited admiring her back as she began to take off her earring then her rings-he craned his neck over her and noticed she left the wedding ring on; making his hopes soar.  
  
She began to fumble with the clasp of her necklace, Anakin rushed to help; their hands touched, sparks flew. She looked back over her shoulders to glare at him.  
  
"I'm…I'm sorry! Pad" he whispered. She just glared. Anakin's eyes rose slowly to meet her eyes.   
  
"So blue and so innocent," she thought as the two stared at each other.  
  
"Sorry for what?" She asked after a lengthy pause.  
  
"For whatever I did to make you mad,"  
  
"Actually…" She said as she turned in her seat, so that they were sitting side by side.  
  
"I'm not angry at you; it's just that I can't help thinking about my people. My world is in utter chaos for which I am responsible and here I am dressed like this…" She indicated the cumbersome gown with her hands.  
  
This seemed to relieve him, heaving a sigh of relief; Anakin leant back against the soft padding stretching out his arm along the back of the couch.  
  
"How did we get ourselves into this?" She moaned as she slumped back against the sofa. Anakin went rigid but did not move his arm.  
  
Amidala too stiffened slightly when she felt his arm practically around her shoulders, but pretended she wasn't aware of it-though she could already feel ants running down her bare neck where his sleeves touched her skin  
  
  
"I'm just so mad that fate should be playing dolls with me…with us, while I should be out there fighting alongside my men."  
  
Anakin smiled as he looked at her.  
  
"I don't mind being played with! As long as you are the other doll," He said with a roguish grin. Amidala turned to drill him with her daggers stare. Instead of being daunted, he just chuckled at her. That made her angrier; the single lamp at the side of the couch cast a golden light on her face, giving a mystical shine to her, now, fiery eyes. She was so close he could smell her perfume.   
  
Then suddenly she jumped up. "Anakin Skywalker! You can afford to have your fun any time you wish. "You…" She turned around with a flourish and pointed a finger at him "Do not have to worry about your people or your planet nor are millions of beings dependant on you."  
  
"Padmé Skywalker!" Anakin said stressing the last name, "You may have the worries of one planet on your delicate shoulders, but I usually have several on mine…" He paused. "However I have learnt to accept the little tests and trials that fate throws my way-because, my lovely wife, usually there is no other choice. So why not enjoy it while it lasts." 


	38. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 38 the wedd...

Amidala shot him another glare. "Padmé Skywalker," She thought as she stared at the young man on the couch," How coolly he said that, putting his personal stamp on me."   
  
She tried to pace but the gown was hampering her, so she sat on the bed and stretching back her hands as far as possible in an effort to open the back buttons. "OH! This is impossible," She moaned as she shut her eyes to control her frustration.  
  
Something soft and fragrant caressed the side of her face and her eyes flew open. It was Anakin. He brushed away the loose strands from her face with the flowers in his hands.  
It tickled her ears and neck. Carefully he gathered her hair and pushed it in front over one shoulder. Anakin sat behind her and proceeded to unbutton her gown. Immediately she stiffened  
  
"I think you should call the girls…" She began to protest. Anakin shushed her. The buttons ran all the way down to her hip; expertly he opened them, his touch sending shivers down her back.  
  
When he had opened the last button he began to help her out of it, pushing the dress over her shoulders-she still wore the off shoulder blouse underneath- but she caught her hand over the gown giving him the look again. Anakin ignored it as he ran the tip of his fingers softly along her bare shoulders.  
  
"Stop it Anakin!" She said in a low, rather meek voice as she squirmed under his touch, it assaulted her senses and she had to close her eyes. Slowly her hand fell to her lap, letting Anakin's invasive fingers travel down the length of her bare arm as he slipped her arm out of the sleeve. Soon the other arm was out too. Amidala clutched the gown to her breasts-in a last ditch effort to create a new perimeter against his bold forays.   
  
Anakin didn't stop, his lips were searing her skin as he placed hot kisses on her neck and shoulders, sending her into ecstasy; she moaned and fell back against him. Anakin's arm came up around her waist lifting her on to his lap. She thought she would just melt in it as he began to nuzzle her neck and brush his face against her creamy soft skin.   
  
Images of her parents, her advisors, friends and relatives and most prominently Panaka's stern look passed before her, all wagging their fingers at her. The pictures swirled in the storm of her emotions but she was as helpless as they were, swept away in a raging sea of emotions with nothing to hold onto.  
  
She felt Anakin's hand on her face, gentle and warm as he held her by the chin and lifted her face to his. She gasped as his lips met hers sending bolts of hot lightening through her body. Overwhelmed by the new emotions she first pushed him away; then she surprised him by suddenly turning in his arms, entwining her arms around his neck and responding hungrily to him. Her breasts pressed against him kindling his desire and making him bolder.  
  
Anakin's hand traveled up her back groping for the clasp of her blouse; she froze as her blouse came free.  
  
"NO!" She screamed, suddenly pushing away violently from him, she scooted away from him. Anakin looked at her with dismay. She was leaning against the headboard, her gown bunched up around her waist as she clutched one end of it to her bosom, her hair in disarray. Anakin noticed that she was pale, her breathing ragged and she was trembling.  
  
The sight of her so miserable broke his heart. He wanted to comfort her more than anything else.  
  
"What is it?" He said as he drew closer. "Hey! I'll never hurt you. You know that." He said in a hoarse voice as he reached out to touch her but she cringed and pushed his hand away.  
  
"You can let go! It's alright!" He began to whisper to her as he drew closer. For a moment she relaxed, Anakin put his arms around her and began to pull her to him. Then she stiffened and struggled to move out of his arms again.  
  
"No! go away!" She hissed. "Leave me alone!"  
  
Anakin refused to give up; he did not want to leave her alone like this. "Look, we can just be friends if you want to, I'll never impose myself upon you I promise."  
She didn't reply and just stared ahead of her.  
  
"Please don't turn your back on me." He begged in a low whisper as he reached out to her once more, suddenly she lashed out blindly behind her.   
  
"Go away! You're making it worse for me."  
  
Anakin reeled back not only from the physical blow-her ring edge caught the side of his eye cutting it. But it was the rejection that hurt the most.  
  
  
He looked at her in disbelief as he took out a kerchief from his pocket and wiped at the cut, the white cloth was stained with blood. Then he just turned around and stormed out of the room, he nearly ran over the healers assistant who was just about to knock the door-she had a tray of tea and biscuits in her hand.  
  
"Sir!" She called but he was already running down the steps. 


	39. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 39The weddi...

post no# 49-39  
  
Hena looked quizzically after the retreating figure then shrugging she let herself into the room. She had a small smile on her face as she entered which disappeared as soon as she saw the (melancholic) queen.   
  
  
"I brought you something to eat your highness." She said as she put the tray on the table.   
  
To avoid meeting her stare Amidala stood up and began to shed the outer gown; Hena hurried over to help her take it off.  
  
"You want me to help with your hair?" Hena asked as she draped the gown neatly on the back of the couch. Amidala had to comply; she wondered how messed up her hair must be for the nurse to notice, as it was the length of her hair made it impossible to manage alone.   
  
She seated herself in front of the dresser mirror while Hena stood behind her brush in hand.  
  
"Master Anakin seemed to be angry at something," Hena said in an off-handed way as she gently untangled the dark tresses with a brush.  
  
"Well umm! I… we had a small disagreement," Amidala said rather curtly. She didn't like Hena nosing into her personal matters.  
  
"Well!" Hena said getting the message, "It seems that the both of you had made at least some progress." She looked in the mirror at Amidala to see her reaction. Amidala turned to her sharply, was this women jesting with her, "What do you mean? She asked coldly.  
  
  
"Master Anakin left in such a hurry," Hena said. She paused as she concentrated on brushing the hair. "He didn't let me tell him…."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Anakin stood in the shadows under a tree. He had meant to join the group of male guests drinking at a long table in the middle of the garden. But he wasn't ready yet to talk to any one. A storm raged inside him. His emotions were boiling to over load.  
  
Anakin swallowed hard, taking in a big breath he leaned back against the tree trunk. He closed his eyes tight, trying to block the pictures-the soft lips, the dark silky hair, the feel of her soft creamy skin… Anakin gripped the left side of his chest.   
  
Jedi training had prepared him for every kind of situation, war, strife, famine, celebrations, victory and defeat but not this, Anakin thought his heart would burst.   
  
Loud and raucous laughter interrupted his dark brooding. Anakin could hear them well; it was Liane with another of his off color jokes. Seeing them so light hearted made his mood light too. Taking a big breath he walked towards the group.  
  
  
  
"Tell him what? Amidala pressed.   
  
"To clean his face-it was obviously smeared all over with lip stick."  
  
Amidala's eyes grew round with shock, then her lips curled into an involuntary smile.  
  
They heard sudden laughter from below. The two of them ran to the balcony. 


	40. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 40 Anakin h...

Post No #50-40  
  
Anakin shrugged helplessly as the party around the table all rolled with laughter, holding their bellies. Something funny was going on and he was the only one not seeing it.  
  
"What's so funny guys?" He asked innocently.  
  
"I'm happy to know that you two have settled your…er private matters. Looks like things have been going well for you, son!" The chief said with a twinkle in his eyes. It was obvious that he was trying very hard not to burst out laughing.  
  
Anakin looked poker-faced at the chief, not getting the gist of his statement.   
  
"Have I grown horns or what? Or is it a required tradition to ridicule the groom" he said pulling up a chair next to the chief.   
  
Every where he looked, they were laughing, snickering and giggling even some of the stern, stone faced chiefs he's seen earlier were shaking with mirth, their fat belies quivering like jelly.  
  
"Guys! As it is this day isn't easy on any one," Anakin said with a hurt look." Pointedly looking at his friends from the warrior village.  
  
"Not easy for any one-but it must have been smooth going for you, my friend." Liane added. "From what I see on your face, the two of you haven't wasted much time."  
  
Anakin straightened up. He didn't like what the guy was insinuating.  
  
"Hey! Now, you don't have any right to…"  
  
"Son! Have you seen your face in the mirror?" The chief cut in before things got out of hand.  
  
Anakin stopped dead and stared at the chief-as blank as a sheet. He wished he could see himself with the force but that wasn't possible-he promised he'd work on it.   
  
Slowly he rubbed a reluctant hand to his face, still looking around nervously- the hubbub had died down to pin drop silence-He swallowed again and pulled his eyes to his palm. Anakin suddenly sprung up from his seat as it hit him.   
  
"Damn! Padmé's lip paint!" He thought. He soon turned to unhealthy shade of red as he stared incredulously at his hand.  
  
"Thank the stars there aren't any females," Anakin thought-in an effort to boost his shattered ego. He frantically frisked his body in search for his kerchief.  
  
"Look who's here," Liane announced. Anakin didn't like the sound of it. With his eyes Liane indicated an area behind and above Anakin's head. With dread Anakin turned around slowly. A groan escaped his lips-there on the balcony stood two young women; giggling-and one of them was Padmé!   
  
Anakin slumped on the table his head in his hands as the guffaws resumed. The whole village was resounding once again with loud noisy laughter. 


	41. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 41 More emb...

POST NO# 51  
  
Anakin suffered some more when he found the white silk kerchief and opened it to wipe the cursed smudges from his face. The whole gathering was shocked at the sight of the bloody piece of clothe, some of those present even went as far as to spit out their drinks or choke on the morsels in their mouth. Subdued laughing and snickering mixed in with a flurry of mummers.  
  
Liane rolled his eyes, shaking his head from side to side, the chief actually blushed, Anakin thought he looked pretty cute, blushing with that toothless grin of his. Anakin just stared at him, "Another faux pas!" He thought bluntly, his hands frozen in mid air with the so-called incriminating evidence.  
  
"Anakin you don't have to show that to every body. Your mother maybe but not every body." Liane said pointing to the kerchief.  
  
From the tone of his voice Anakin realized he'd stuck his foot in a real big pile this time. Anakin examined the kerchief again and didn't find any thing objectionable.  
  
"Look I didn't kill any body," He said as he looked around sheepishly. "This is MY own blood." The gathering just stared back at him unconvinced.  
  
"Look, I got a cut here." He showed them the fresh cut on his forehead. "Padmé's ring cut it when she…" He stopped before he had to tell them– when she shooed him away.  
  
Again every one went quite.  
  
Cough. Cough. Giggle. Snicker.   
  
"Oh! Uhm… We thought it was your wife's…" Liane said sounding rather embarrassed.  
  
"You'd think I'd beat her bloody for giving me a small cut."  
  
Liane was smiling and shaking his head.   
  
"No! NO! Of coarse not, leave that to your wife." That elicited another round of laughter.  
  
The chief bent again towards Anakin and whispered something in his ears, after which the kerchief disappeared like magic, leaving Anakin red from ear to ear.  
  
Anakin stole a furtive glance at the balcony and slumped back in his chair with relief when he found it empty-he was sure Padmé would've been embarrassed to death.  
  
"In fact I'm thinking of suggesting to father to revoke your honoree status as warrior of the Capa tribe." Liane said smoothly changing the subject and bailing his friend out of one bad situation and into another-though less embarrassing one.   
  
Anakin gladly fell into line, "Hey! I can't strike my wife-at least not all the time." He said, as he rubbed his face vigorously with the towel the chief had offered him.   
  
"No Capa warrior lets his wife beat him up" Liane added thumping the table to stress his point.  
  
"It was an accident, nothing serious. Anakin replied shrugging.  
  
"And let his wife chase him out of the room." Liane added quickly.  
  
Anakin blushed. "Guys I know you folks have your values-but this is all normal to us city folks, we accept the little tiffs as part of the marriage package. Besides, I can be with my wife all my life, but I wanted to be with you people, my fellow warriors. You folks were having such a good time I couldn't resist a little visit.  
  
The chief smiled. Anakin had gotten himself out of this one. He thumped Anakin on the back, chuckling. The rest of the warriors too thought better of him after this answer. Cheering and thumping the table, the party lifted their drinks in unison, wishing the groom a happy and long married life. Anakin thanked then with a wide grin.  
  
"Now tell me if you've had any thing to eat?" The chief asked. Anakin rubbed his belly, he'd not eaten a bite all day; being as excited as he was-he'd lost his appetite; until now.  
  
The chief clapped a hand; soon all kinds of delicacies were laid before the hungry groom. Anakin dug into the food his misadventures forgotten. 


	42. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 42 The lone...

POST NO# 52  
  
Amidala was at the window. Through the branches of a nearby tree, she could see the assembled men and still not be seen, and she hadn't missed any thing either. She thanked the stars the Naboo press was not here at this time. She would not be able to show her face to the known galaxy for the next hundred years.  
  
Though Anakin had traveled to countless systems and was familiar with most of their laws and customs. Naboo laws and customs were very different from the rest of the galaxy in that it had hardly changed for thousands of years. Anakin needed some-no lots of-coaching in Naboo protocols and etiquette especially concerning family and tribal customs.  
  
With a heavy sigh she stared at the great shining globe of the full blue moon swimming just above the dark undulating ocean of the Kara trees tops.  
  
A melancholy descended upon her that she could not explain. Why did she feel so low? So unloved. She was the queen, the ruler, loved and respected by all of Naboo. Within 25 years of her young life she had achieved almost all her goals. And yet...  
  
She felt so empty. Yes! In all these years she had not found love. Naboo Men considered it an honor to die for their queen-but none would come forward and confess their love for her-except the various off world princes- but then they came after the Queen not her. They wanted consorts worthy of their status, would they have considered her if she were a commoner?  
  
Here it was her wedding night. The most precious and momentous moment in a Naboo woman's life-the first time she and her life partner would be together.   
  
But there was Anakin laughing off his head and having a fine time with the men. Had it even crossed his mind that she might be lonely? How she yearned for him  
  
"But that is my fault! How could I have struck him? What happened to me?" This was the second time that she had reacted grossly in the most unpredictable way-She could not understand, why she was acting so unreasonably.  
Suddenly she realized the reason behind her rash actions-she was guarding herself from the truth that had dawned on her subconsciously-that she loved him-but the practical side of her chose to deny it and suppress it. It was a good ploy to avoid confusing situations, as a queen this trait was an invaluable asset.   
  
"Yes I do love him!" She whispered to herself as though she'd just made a new discovery. He was young, rash, and inexperienced and without status, but he was the only man in the universe who had loved her and not the queen, and had the courage to confess it to her.  
  
All she wanted now was to be with him just once to clear the misunderstandings. Her heart raced at the thought of his arms around her, his warm kisses "why had I pushed him away? What was I thinking?" She chided herself. "He will never forgive me now," She thought sadly. "He doesn't even need me-he's a Jedi! He can always manage on his own." 


	43. Anakin AmadalaLove FoundPart 43 My love

POST NO 53-43  
  
Cheering and laughter wafted up from the courtyard where the men had resumed their merry banter. Anakin's blunder forgotten, they had gone onto the next victim. At the moment they were dissecting the chief's son-in-law's gaffes on his wedding day, and they were not being very considerate.   
  
Guffawing and pointing at him, some holding their bellies, the whole party was in uproar. Only Faraj, their target of the moment, did not seem to find it funny. He was busy scratching his ear and trying to look away here and there.  
  
Padme looked at the figure dressed in white. Anakin was practically hollering, as he banged the table with his fist to avoid bursting.  
  
With a heavy heart she looked at him enjoying himself. He was very much at home with these pagans.   
  
How simple their lives were. Every one was assured their mate and the system assured the security of keeping it theirs for life.  
  
More laughter wafted, as though taunting her loneliness. A stray tear rolled down her cheek. She looked at Anakin as he reached out across the table and took some thing offered him in an earthen bowl. He tasted the stuff and promptly spat it out onto a flowerbed behind him; the others broke into roars of laughter. Anakin stood up suddenly; her heart skipped a beat.  
  
***************************  
  
I think I should check on my wife, she must've cooled off by now." Anakin announced, as he rose. His friends cheered except the kinanahs who jeered. With Anakin gone the chief was sure to send them off to their village too. He smiled at them with a helpless shrug.  
  
"Some day you guys will get lucky too," He said with a wink. Truth was he missed Padmé, even after her unusual outburst. At least he could look at her and wallow in the glow of her beauty. Eager as he was he was a bit nervous too as he pushed his chair back.  
  
Sensing his nervousness the chief pulled him aside "Every thing will be alright son!" He said, "trust me." Anakin nodded not knowing what the chief meant. Taking his leave he headed for the wooden stairs, his apprehension growing with each step.  
  
"She will probably be sleeping." He thought as he ascended, "This was one exhausting wedding party and she hasn't recovered fully from her fall."  
  
He fingered the knob and the door opened. He slid in quietly hoping she was asleep and careful not to wake her up. It was dark. He decided to slink to the fresher; he needed to change out of the ceremonial clothes. He stood then, wondering what he'd wear, as his spare change of clothes were in the warrior village.  
  
He turned to leave, just as he opened the door...  
  
"Anakin?"   
  
He turned around and was surprised to see a dark form detach it self from the shadows near the window. Amidala stood in the pool of blue light cast by the full moon behind her. Her slim figure outlined sharply against the bright light.  
  
"Padmé!" He gulped, his heart racing, "You're… still awake? Are you… all right?" He didn't sense the usual emotions around her. She usually radiated pride, self-confidence and assurance, now though she felt different.  
  
"Yes… I'm just waiting for my groom." Padmé said rather forlornly.  
  
Anakin stood there, holding the door, not knowing what to make of it.  
  
Had she already forgotten the reason why he'd left in the first place? He just couldn't understand. He stared at her sharp out line for a long time.  
  
"You are jesting, my queen," He said in a thick voice, "No one will wait for a phony groom."  
  
Amidala gave a mirthless laugh. She slowly reached out to wipe a tear from her cheeks. Anakin sensed the aura of sadness around her- but he was not ready to be scorned again. He stood at the door, his lips forming a thin line as he debated whether to leave her or comfort her.  
  
"Damned my ego," he thought as he slowly closed the door with a soft click. Anakin walked slowly to the window-Not knowing what to expect-all he knew was that she was crying, his love was sad and he had to comfort her. 


	44. Anakin Amadala Love Found Part 44I love ...

POST NO 55-44  
  
Amidala had removed the flowing silk gown; only the white under blouse and slacks remained. Her hair gathered at the top was now tied above her head with a wide metal clasp; the loose ends flowed down her shoulders to her hips like a dark silk fountain. It swung around languidly as she moved her head, the cascades randomly reflecting the blue metallic sheen of the moonlight.  
  
The queen stood with her back to him, pretending to survey the scene before her as she swallowed hard. She did not want Anakin to see her in this state.  
  
Anakin stood close behind her, his arms hanging loosely by his side. He did not sense anger or hostility. Slowly he dared to come closer.   
  
Leaning his long arms on either side of her on the window frame, he leaned forward, towering over her small form. His body completely covering hers and still ...not touching. A warm blanket of peace and security enveloped her.   
  
Suddenly she longed to have him enclose her, to hold her and kiss her. Strange how she was no longer afraid of him getting too close but instead she desperately longed for his skin against hers. She shut her eyes, catching her breath. She could feel the cool breeze on her face the fragrance of the garden mingled with the smell of his cologne.  
  
She could feel his gaze on her-and suddenly she didn't want to hide the tears any more. A gasp escaped her lips as two warm hands closed around her bare arms. She felt her body melt with his touch.   
  
"You've been crying my love!" A husky voice whispered close to her ears, sending a thrill through her.  
  
As if she had found her shores, her safe abode. She just let go, breaking up. Her dams all broken, years of control and discipline just deserted her and she began to cry, sobbing and shaking violently as she leant back against his chest.   
  
Anakin's hand left her arms-she felt suddenly cold and abandoned-only to entwine them around her waist. Immediate the warm security returned. She let her head slump back against his chest as her body was wracked with sobs. Turning her around in his arms he held her tight against him. Cradling her head under his chin he rubbed her shoulders and back to comfort her.   
  
"My love... I'm sorry I abandoned you." He said. She didn't reply, instead she put her arms around him. She was still crying. He let her cry.  
  
At last she was quite, sniffing softly against him. Anakin realized his vest was probably wet with her tears. Lifting her onto the windowsill he sat her there so that her face was just below his. Lifting up her chin he stared at her sad face.  
  
His heart cried tears of blood at the sight of it. He had promised to keep her safe and never let her be sad and here she was crying out her heart because of his stupid pride.   
  
"I'm sorry!" He whispered again as he gently wiped the tears from her face.  
  
"No, Anakin there's nothing for you to be sorry about. I should be apologizing. All this while I had my true love before me and I refused to acknowledge it, insisting on being a queen all the time. All you did was bring out the young woman in me-the human creature that was imprisoned all this while inside the cold walls of a monarch, too dedicated to another cause to realize that life has much else to offer." She said, gasping for breath as she finished.  
  
Anakin was silent as he searched for words.  
  
"I'm sorry Anakin! Can you forgive me?" She said sniffing once more then looked up at him expectantly.  
  
Anakin stared at her,   
  
"forgive you?" He exclaimed incredulously.  
  
Her head jerked up to him, "I know darling, I don't deserve it, I…"  
  
She didn't finish as Anakin's lips on her own prevented further conversation. She felt her body flood with happiness and contentment as she responded. They had found each other. For too long they had pretended to be strangers when they knew they were destined for one other.  
  
At last she broke away. Anakin wiped her face gently with the back of his hand. She gave him a sheepish smile.   
  
"I love you Anakin!" She whispered in his ears as she locked her arms around his neck, "I have loved you for a long time only my head refused to believe my heart." She said, resting her head against his chest.   
  
"I have always known it my love." He whispered back as he bent his head down to her. He put his arms around her waist pulling her closer and their silhouettes once again merged into one.  
  
They stood thus for a long time, their bodies entwined, at last Anakin drew away,  
  
"So do we resume...Uhmm… where we left off," He said in a soft shy tone.   
  
She smiled coyly. "Yes please, I think we've wasted enough time already".  
  
Anakin gathered her in his arms and carried her to the bed.  
  
No one witnessed their union except the full moon that rose in the velvet sky and shone down upon the two lovers, smiling at the secret that it shared with them. 


	45. Anakin Amadala Love Found Part 45The mor...

Post no 56-45  
  
Obi-Wan and Panaka had traveled for most of the night; dawn was breaking as the bongo broke the glassy surface of the metal gray lake, bordering the Capa village.  
  
A warrior was waiting on a wooden pier to receive them. He took them to the guesthouse and showed them to their rooms just opposite to the newly married couple's room.  
  
"You must be tired!" The warrior said, "I will send you'll something to eat, the chief will meet you after that.   
  
"I want to talk to Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked him before he could leave.  
  
"Anakin has had a long night, I don't think he should be disturbed." The warrior said with a lop-sided grin. Obi-Wan gave Panaka a puzzled look, when they looked back; the warrior was gone.  
  
"I do hope the Queen is fine Panaka said. That ghost of a warrior didn't even give me a chance to ask."  
  
Later two boys brought them breakfast. "Where is Anakin's room?" Obi-Wan asked the bigger of the two.   
  
"Anakin's?" the boy repeated.  
  
"Yes the man accompanying the Queen," Obi-Wan said.   
  
The boy did not seem to understand. Obi-Wan made a gesture raising his arm above his head to denote a tall man. One of the boys nodded, babbling something in Capa as he turned around to point the door just opposite theirs.  
  
Obi-Wan stood up as soon as the boys were gone.  
  
"I think Anakin has had enough sleep," He said. "Sleep is a luxury that a Jedi can't afford and he should know that." He muttered as he reached for the doorknob.  
  
The door was not locked; Obi-Wan opened it tentatively in case the village boy had directed him to the wrong room. He stuck his head in. Sure enough, there was Anakin sleeping on the bed, his back to the door. Obi-Wan gave a cursory glance around the darkened room as he walked towards the bed. Through the dim early morning light, that filtered though the branches near the window he saw part of the room, it was large and spacious.  
  
Turning his eyes back to the bed in the shadows, Obi-Wan stopped dead in his tracks, he saw something move behind Anakin's broad back and yet he knew it wasn't Anakin.  
  
Anakin's thoughts were shielded as usual when he slept. Obi-Wan knew he was rather protective of his dreams and fantasies, not even giving his master a peek into his mind.   
  
  
  
The Jedi master peered into the darkness, he saw a small hand wound itself around his padawan's waist; delicate fingers began tracing circles on the bare broad back.   
  
He heard a sleepy female voice mumbled something. By then he had already sensed her presence and knew who she was.   
  
"The Queen! Here with my Padawan! " Obi-Wan thought incredulously, "but that is unconceivable" He could not believe the scene going on before him-it was unimaginable; Obi-Wan was paralyzed from shock.  
  
Anakin shifted in his bed as he pulled his wife closer to him. That was enough to shake his master's numb limbs into action. He would hope somehow Anakin was not consciously involved in this scandal, it had to be a mistake-his padawan could not possibly do such a thing.   
  
Shielding his mind Obi-Wan backed away silently, his blood churning in rage. He could not believe Anakin capable of such…turpitude. "But the Queen? That model of discipline and control, how could she allow it? How could the Queen of Naboo fall so low? …With his Padawan!   
  
He was thankful that his padawan was too engrossed to feel his presence. Obi-Wan slunk back to the door, hurt and betrayed, his world falling around him as he slid out noiselessly.  
  
Anakin's head snapped back at the sound of a soft click as the door shut. Amidala instinctive pulled the covers around her.  
  
He remembered closing the door last night, but not locking it, as he had had no intention of sleeping with the queen then. However, things had changed and he had forgotten about it.  
  
"Who…was that?" Amidala stammered, Anakin did not answer instead he jumped from the bed and calling his shirt to him as he ran to the door in his pajamas, he quickly donned it as he slipped out the door.  
  
"Master! Master! Wait I can explain!" She heard him shout through the half open door.  
  
Obi-Wan stood but did not turn, he closed his eyes and took in a deep breath,  
  
"You better have a good explanation Anakin Skywalker," He said in a cold, threatening voice. Anakin had heard that tone before; when he challenged the enemy, but Master Obi-Wan had never used it on him before.   
  
"Master please listen, it's not what you think." Anakin said his voice desperate.  
  
Obi-Wan suddenly wheeled around angrily, causing his padawan to step back in surprise. Anakin had never seen his usually placid master so wrought up.  
  
"How could you do this to me, Anakin? He said between clenched teeth.   
  
"How could you betray my trust like this? I give the queen in your care and you…"  
  
Obi-Wan took a deep breath, all kinds of cheap adjectives crowded his brain but he stopped before they came out. He felt shattered. He could not believe it; the chosen one-the last person in the temple who could be expected to-had betrayed him.  
  
"Not only have you betrayed your master but also a father and brother." Obi-Wan said in a hurt tone, "Anakin, haven't I given you the love of all three?"  
  
Master I would never betray your trust," Anakin said, his voice trembling. "I would rather die than to dishonor you in any way,"  
  
"So I didn't see you in bed with the queen? Are you telling me I shouldn't believe my own eyes, ears and force sense, huh?" Obi-Wan hissed.  
  
"It is not what you think master. I would never touch Padmé that way-except as her husband"  
  
  
  
Obi-Wan staggered back in shock.  
  
"What!" 


	46. Anakin Amadala Love Found Part 45The mor...

chap 46  
  
He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes letting the information sink in. He did not know what to make of it-not at this moment.   
  
The Queen marrying his padawan-was that good or bad? What would the council say? Was he to blame in anyway? He wished he'd listened to Panaka and personally accompanied the Queen it was his fault entirely.  
  
Obi-Wan opened his eyes, letting out a huge sigh he straightened up again.   
  
"Husband?" Obi-Wan repeated as he shook his head from side to side. Things were going too fast for him. He just did not know what to make of it. This was a completely unforeseen development. He had concentrated on training his padawan to be a Jedi, training him in discipline, self-defense and the art of negotiating and implementing peace in the galaxy. Marriage was something that never even occurred to him. However, deep down he was relieved immensely that Anakin had not betrayed him just for base pleasure. He was sure his padawan had a good reason to marry the queen.  
  
"Well…I guess then its not such a…" He stopped and stared up at his padawan, suddenly aware of the man before him. He wondered when in the last couple of months had the boy grown into a man.   
  
"How?" Was all he could muster.  
  
Anakin squirmed uneasily," it's a long story master."   
  
"But… Anakin she's so much older, a queen, you're not even a knight yet!"   
  
Anakin shrugged his shoulders, "It was destined master, and I had no choice in it." There was a long pause.  
  
"I knew it a long time ago-when I first set eyes on her at wattoo's shop. It seems the force doesn't have the same reservations about age as us mortal do," Anakin added in a low voice as he examined the floor.  
  
"The council had scheduled your trials for next month,"  
  
Anakin's head shot up.   
  
"But I deferred it until this little crisis was over." Obi-Wan continued.   
  
"This new developments will probably delay things at the least…"   
  
"Ah the groom is up!" A cheery voice called up from behind causing both of them to turn their heads. They were met by a wide, all too familiar, toothless grin.  
  
Obi-Wan greeted the elderly chief with a small bow of his head.   
  
"Well! Well! The chief exclaimed looking Anakin up and down, a lopsided grin gracing his weathered face. Anakin did not like the look of it. He shuffled his feet, pulling his shirt tight around him. He felt naked and bare whenever the chief gave him the once over.  
  
"Quite a night you've had, my boy." The chief quipped.   
  
"Oh! Oh!" Anakin groaned, as he began to wipe frantically at his face, "I'm sure I got Padmé to clean her make-up before she got into bed." Anakin thought.  
  
"Heh! Heh! The chief chuckled, "Your face is quite clean, but your buttons are done all wrong, is this some new fashion? And oh these seams standing up on your shoulders are quite becoming indeed."   
  
Just then, Captain Panaka joined the group. While the chief was busy greeting the Captain, Anakin glanced cautiously at his shoulders from the corners of his eyes- his cheeks turned red when he realized he was wearing his shirt inside out.  
  
"Why is the force punishing me?" Anakin groaned and closed his eyes as the group broke into laughter. Even his master was laughing.   
  
"What could be worse than to be humiliated in front of one's master?"  
  
He heard giggling from behind. He spun around sharply.  
  
There in the doorway to their room stood Padmé, her hand on her mouth trying hard to appear dignified.  
  
"Oh! No! Anakin groaned."  
  
"Good morning gentlemen!" She announced in a cool voice, composing herself as soon as she realized she had attracted the attention of the company. The three men bowed in greeting. Anakin just stood there.  
  
"Please come in," She said in a crisp voice.   
  
Captain Panaka, Obi-Wan and the chief filed past the waiting queen and into the room. Amidala waited for Anakin.  
  
He just stood there frozen-his head turned back an awestruck expression plastered on his face. He forgot about his shirt and just stared at the figure standing in the doorway  
  
Padmé was dressed in a pastel pink sleeveless gown made of a soft shimmering material. The gown had a loose flowing skirt but the bodice was rather form fitting, accentuating her firm breasts and small waist. A long scarf was draped across her neck. Her hair was gathered up in a neat bun, except for a few loose tendrils, which hung down delicately down both cheeks. Anakin swallowed hard as his pulse began to race.   
  
.  
  
Padmé raised one arched eyebrow quizzically, as she waited for him to respond.  
  
"Well?" She asked.  
  
But he just ogled at her. He could see her almost glowing like some ethereal being as the early morning sun streamed in behind her from the open balcony.  
  
"You ARE an angel!" He said softly.  
  
She smiled; pleased at the effect her appearance was having on him. "Aren't you coming in? I really think you should come in and change that shirt if you want to avoid further embarrassment."  
  
"Huh! Oh! Right!" Anakin said looking himself over and feeling foolish again. He rushed past her, deliberately brushing his body against her; he glanced at her longingly one more time, before disappearing behind the panel screen set up near the fresher door that passed of as a temporary dressing room.  
  
Amidala turned to enter the room, a small smile still gracing her face, when she came face to face with the ice-cold stare of Captain Panaka. 


	47. Anakin Amadala Love Found Part 47 Amid...

chap 47  
  
Padmé stopped short in her track; she knew Panaka had seen their little exchange.  
  
She smiled sweetly at him, "So Captain, I guess we have a lot to discuss."  
  
"So the rumors are true?" Panaka said in an icy voice.  
  
"What rumors?" The Queen replied.  
  
Panaka suddenly lowered his head, shaking it from side to side.  
  
"Your highness, The army is on edge, they need you more than ever to encourage them. One wrong move from you and we could have a mass desertion on our hands."  
  
"Let's discuss this later, Captain." Amidala said moving to the breakfast table where Obi-wan and the chief were already sitting. Obi-wan gave him a knowing look. Panaka sat down heavily, his face etched in stone.  
  
The chief had ordered a special breakfast for the newly wed. Obi-Wan was helping him self to another serving when Anakin came up to the table, grinning, his eyes searching for the one person. He had showered, shaved and dressed in the blink of an eye.  
  
"That was quick, Padawan, I never knew you could move that fast." Anakin grinned at his master then pulled up a chair opposite his wife.  
  
"What's this? Have you forgotten that you are a Jedi?" Obi-Wan said, a hint of displeasure on his face as he took in the white shirt and tan pants his padawan was wearing.  
  
Anakin tore his eyes from Amidala. "Master my Jedi tunic was quite battered after those runs through the swamps, the chief was kind enough to provide me with these." He said pointing at his clothes, "the only other choice being a warrior's skirt." He added his eyes twinkling.   
  
That is a 'capaline' the chief interjected, "Not a skirt." Anakin shrugged "Whatever!" he said as he turned his attention back to Amidala, but she did not look up from her plate. Anakin noticed she was not eating-just stirring the spoon aimlessly in her food.  
  
  
  
He sensed a tension within the group. He smiled at Panaka but was met with a cold glare, Anakin's grin evaporated like hot steam. The chief too sensing the tension, decided to take his leave.  
  
Seeing him leave, the former chief of security began to protest again.  
  
"Your Highness, this is hardly the time to indulge in spur of the moment whims."  
  
Amidala's head shot up, "Captain!" She called out harshly, "Are you accusing me! I have dedicated the best years of my life to Naboo. You have known me since I was but a child, surely you don't believe I could do any thing that would be contrary to the well being of Naboo!"  
  
"I'm sorry your highness!" He said hanging his head. "I'm sure you have a good reason. But…" He stopped, giving Anakin the "look" again.  
  
Anakin was on the edge of his seat. He sensed a confrontation. He also felt a deep sense of resentment from the Captain.   
  
Obi-Wan suddenly stood up from his chair.  
  
"Anakin lets go for a walk, we need to discuss a lot of things."  
  
Anakin got up hesitantly; he looked at his wife with concern-her beautiful lips stretched tight as she fought to control her anger. Then he followed his master out.  
  
They made their way down to the front garden, where the remnants of the festivities of the night before still littered the place.   
  
Anakin blushed as the events of the past night flooded his memory. He was glad his master was ignorant of it.  
  
They sat on a bench under a huge tree; it was quite except for the birds singing. Obi-Wan drew in the sweet fragrance thick in the fresh morning air. He leant back against the bench with a satisfied smile.  
  
"Well Padawan, now I would like to hear YOUR story." 


	48. Anakin Amadala Love Found Part 48 I do...

Padmé watched the two men from the balcony; Anakin was gesturing wildly with his hands as he sat half turned towards his master. She gauged from his actions that he was explaining the turn of events that led to their shotgun marriage. She sighed and went in. Captain Panaka was sitting on the sofa his head in his hands.  
  
"Your highness I'm not so sure Anakin is the right choice for you, he is not even a knight-how will you make the council accept him as your consort."  
  
"Captain, my marriage to Anakin was not a chance, I am sure it is divine will, nevertheless convincing the council is my job you needn't worry about it. As for the reaction of your soldiers, I have decided to keep my relations to Anakin a secret till this crisis is resolved."  
  
Panaka lifted his head, "I agree! Highness I think its best kept a secret for now."  
  
That decided, Panaka went on to brief the Queen on the present status of her forces and the future course of action.   
  
"…When I came back she told me that she had accepted the chief's invitation." Anakin took in a deep breath as he finished his story, which was not exactly the whole story, he had conveniently edited out a few incidents here and there, but he told Obi-Wan what he really needed to know.  
  
"Hmmm, it appears to be a forced wedding, if that is the case and she actually intends to give back the ring then we shouldn't have any thing to worry about." However, even as he spoke Obi-Wan remembered the passionate scene that he had been unfortunate enough to witness this very morning.  
  
"Well! Not exactly" Anakin got up and stood by the tree trunk.  
  
"Last night she confided in me that she loved me, that since she had taken the holy vow she considered me to be her husband and would consider me as such till her very last breath"   
  
Obi-Wan nodded, "This will complicate things. She is Naboo and Naboo women are well known for their faith and loyalty to their husbands and family. But surely you can't throw away your career as a…"  
  
"Master!" Anakin said his head lowered as he studied his boots. "I...I…"  
  
"Yes! Padawan!" Obi-Wan encouraged.  
  
  
  
"I love her too! Always have, ever since I saw her in Wattoo's shop."  
  
Obi-Wan looked up at him, surprise and disappointment evident in his eyes," That was just a childhood crush, I thought it passed away."  
  
"I never stopped dreaming of her, that's what kept me going through some of the toughest times-besides your support that is." Anakin replied.   
  
Obi-Wan let out a heavy sigh. "Anakin you just can't throw your career because of a woman? Not when your this close to knighthood."   
  
Anakin shrugged. "That is not for me to decide. Master I had foreseen it, when I was a child-long before I met Padmé, but I never actually believed it would come to pass."  
  
Obi-Wan shoulders sank back in resignation. "The force has its ways," Obi-Wan said getting up.  
  
"Master I do want very much to be a Jedi knight," He paused, "but I cannot abandon her, abandon my duties as a husband."   
  
Obi-Wan stared hard at his Padawan. Anakin again resumed examining his boots he could not meet his master's eyes he could not bear to see the disappointment there.  
  
"Isn't there any way out so I can be both?" Anakin asked in almost a whisper.  
  
Obi-Wan, his hands clasped behind his back surveyed the quite garden his attention riveted on a tiny red bird with garishly yellow wings as it hovered over an equally garishly colored flower. "Master! Anakin said, trying to bring his master back to the present.  
  
"Anakin I think we should keep a lid on this till after your trials, it is better that the council not know about it." Obi-Wan said without looking at him.   
  
Anakin turned to his master, his eyes wide. "Master! You're going to actually conspire-against the council." As far as Anakin knew, Obi-Wan had never conspired against the council not even to save his own neck.   
  
"I'll take my chances son!" I do want you to take those trials." Anakin suddenly grabbed his master and hugged him, his emotions over-whelmed him and he swallowed hard in an attempt to keep his voice even,  
  
"Thank you master, I'll never forget this, even if the council does kick me out." Obi-Wan smiled and ruffled his padawan's hair. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that." 


	49. Anakin Amadala Love Found Part 49 Naug...

The Queen stared intently at the images emitting from a small holoproj on the low table before the sofa while Panaka pointed out current defense positions and fortifications of their army. Anakin recognized the familiar territory around the Thal Weil military base. More than once, he had hunted or fished in those swamps during nearly a years stay there.  
  
However, he was more interested in the beautifully intent look that adorned Padmé's face as she sat there at one end of the sofa studying the holo.  
  
Obi-Wan sat at the dining table but Anakin walked over to his wife and perched himself on the armrest behind her, his form towering over her. He leaned back stretching out his arm along the backrest, so that if the Queen leaned back she would be practically in his arms.  
  
Panaka coughed and gave him a sharp look. Anakin ignored it as he took in Padmé's sweet perfume. He craned his neck over her shoulder apparently to have a look at the projected map but his eyes wondered down to the low cut neck of the Queen's bodice. Anakin feasted his eyes hungrily on the wonderful view he had of her soft, creamy bosoms.   
  
Padmé while discussing the various aspect of the layout of the fortifications pulled up her scarf over her neckline several times, only to have it slide low repeatedly until she had to hold her hand on it. She felt a tug, as though the scarf had a life of its own, suddenly she whirled around angrily only to find Anakin examining the ceiling and whistling away coolly.  
  
"Could you please…" She indicated the armchair with her hand. "You are distracting me."   
  
"Who me?" Anakin said in a surprised tone, "Why I was only…"  
  
"Please," She said sweetly," But gave him a stern look, which the two men couldn't see as she had her back to them.  
  
By the look on her face, Anakin knew he had overstepped it. Giving her a gracious smile, he meekly slid into the nearest armchair.  
  
The meeting between security chief and Queen seemed to drag on and on, Anakin huffed and puffed and walked in circles till he wore holes into the carpet, he looked out the window, then sat with his master at the table, impatiently tapping the thick wood till Kenobi had to slap his knuckles and make him stop.  
  
At last Panaka stood, Anakin's face brightened visibly.   
  
"What about Skywalker?" He said as he gathered his stuff. The Queen glared at him. He apologized wondering how he should address the Queen's consort. This was a unique situation, all the consorts of queens before had some or the other title either prince, king or count.   
  
Anakin saved him, "Just called me Anakin," Panaka gave him a vain smile   
  
"Yes sir!" He said.   
  
"Just Anakin," Anakin repeated the Captain nodded.  
  
Then the Captain turned to Anakin. "We need you at the base, the engineers at FP have been holding the project on hold. They have been experiencing problems with the hydraulics system." He began to lay out plans of the project and handed Anakin a datapad. The young Jedi grimaced at the unexpected request, he was anxious to have the Captain and his master out so he could spend some time alone with his wife.  
  
His brows furrowed, Anakin thumbed through the data rapidly. Then he smiled triumphantly.   
  
"There's nothing there that I can't remedy from here." Taking out his own datapad, he made some notes.  
  
"The problem is not with the hydraulics but with the pressurizing system that supports it, which gets over heated because of the fuel pumps just above…here," he reached out and pointed to a spot on the plan.   
  
"Well! So how do you assume we remedy that? Moving the pumps away would require a major design change, which could cause major delays. And delays are something we can't afford."   
  
"Lungten insulation!" Anakin blurted, just a thin film will do the job. I have calculated the exact percentage, give or take 0.0002 tps. It's all in here." Anakin said handing the datapad back.  
  
Panaka was impressed though a bit skeptical. Some of Naboo's greatest engineers had been racking their brains the past several days for the solution to this problem and it took this boy hardly a quarter of an hour to solve.  
  
"Are you sure? He asked."  
  
"Positive," Anakin said with a rather smug smile. "In light of chief Sorenson's report this can be the only solution."  
  
"Well I guess then you can stay here for some days." Panaka had just a hint of a smile as he took the datapad.  
  
Anakin's smiled spread as his eyes sought the Queen's. Amidala pretended to be looking out, though she could feel his excitement like rippling waves around her.  
  
"I think you'll need some rest if indeed you have to leave this evening." Amidala said turning to Panaka.  
  
"Yes!" Your majesty Panaka replied.  
  
"This evening! Master but isn't that too soon!" Anakin exclaimed his face falling, but it was obvious he was delighted that this distraction would soon be out of the way.  
  
Obi-Wan raised his brow, "are you sure? Anakin!" I mean if it means so much to you we could spend a few more days here, couldn't we captain?" Panaka nodded in agreement; "sure, what's the rush." He said stone-faced.  
  
"Well… hmmm… On the other hand I really think you should get those modifications back to Sorenson as soon as possible so that by the time I get there we can deal with the electro-biosystem right away."  
  
Obi-wan smiled, "Are you sure, Boy, you aren't getting rid of us."  
  
"Anakin's face flushed, "No! Master I..." His master knew him too well.  
  
Amidala giggled at his discomfort from where she stood near the balcony.  
  
Obi-wan stood suddenly,   
  
"I guess we could do with some rest," he said standing up. Giving Anakin a meaningful look, he punched him on the shoulder as he walked out followed by Panaka.  
  
"Phew!" Anakin breathed, "I thought they'd never leave!"  
  
"I heard that! Padawan!" Obi's voice said in his head.  
  
Anakin shut his eyes and slapped his head. He had to be more careful in shielding his thoughts.  
  
He walked over to Padmé and wrapped his arms around her from behind. Kissing her and whispering sweet nothing in her ears, she giggled and pushed him away-his voice was tickling her.  
  
She walked over to the table and retrieved two glasses of juice. Anakin slumped back on the sofa, stretching his legs on the table he looked out at the beautiful sunny day outside. Amidala came back and handed him a glass; Anakin grabbed the glass with one hand and her arm with the other pulling her into his lap.   
  
They finished the juice, feeding it to each other and spilling most of it on their clothes. Anakin wrapped his arms around her and pressing her tight against him sighing contentedly as he inhaled her scent.  
  
Amidala too sighed as she curled into a ball and cuddled in his arms. 


	50. Anakin Amadala Love Found Part 50 'Thi...

It was late in the evening when a knock on the door disturbed the lovebirds still curled up on the couch.  
  
"Now what?" Anakin grumbled, reluctant to let her out of his arms. Amidala jumped up, knowing the Capa flare for gate crashing and straightened her gown hurriedly.   
  
Anakin began to pull her back to him but she pulled away.  
  
It was a messenger boy informing them that their guests were leaving.   
  
"Dang! I almost forgot." Anakin slapped his head, he grabbed his cloak while Padmé donned a light hooded cape over her gown, and the two of them rushed to the lakeside.  
  
Obi-wan and Panaka were waiting for them on the wooden pier. The bongo was waiting nearby with the gungan driver already seated in it and its engines humming softly.   
  
"The bongo will be back in five standard days." Panaka said, as he boarded, "That is if… Anakin's modifications solve the problem at the work shop if not it could be here earlier."   
  
Obi-wan handed Anakin a package, which contained an extra change of clothes and some personal stuff his master thought he might need.   
  
"Master, you knew that I would be staying?"  
  
"No! But I did know that the pair you had on would probably be in shreds by now." Obi-wan said. "And I did not want the Queen's escort looking like a Rakoonian fakir." He added.  
  
For a moment the two just stared at each other, Anakin was happy at the way things had turned out between him and Padmé. It was his wildest dream realized. But at the same time he was aware of how his master must feel about all this. As far as Obi-Wan was concerned he could loose his pupil and ten years of his life's work would go to waste. He searched his master face for signs but Obi-Wan turned away suddenly. "May the force be with you." He said patting the boy on the back then bowing to the queen he took his leave and stepped into the vessel.  
  
"And with Master!" Anakin said. He put his arms around Amidala's shoulders. The bongo pulled away, it slowly sank below, leaving circles of light ripples on the surface of the water, which was now crimson as it reflected the setting sun.  
  
Amidala shivered under her thin cloak as a cool breeze blew across the lake.  
  
  
  
"Only five days!" Anakin said glum faced as he pulled his cloak around her. Amidala snuggled in, welcoming the warmth.   
  
"You should be grateful for what we have, husband!" she said wrapping her arms around his waist.  
  
They strolled leisurely down the narrow tree lined walk back to the village. Small glow lights lit the pathway at regular intervals.  
  
"I wonder how the soldiers got onto this rumor about our marriage?" Anakin said in an off-handed way.   
  
"I mean wasn't the Queen supposed to be there," Anakin said. "Why would a handmaiden's marriage create such a stir?" he asked rubbing his free hand on his chin.  
  
"Actually we did fail to inform chief wakabu of my disguise status who in turned failed to inform the boy that he was supposed to deliver a message from Padmé. The boy when intercepted by a soldier, told him he had a message from Queen Amidala's consort, and since it is common knowledge now that the Naboo queen keeps a decoy-only they don't know when it's the decoy's duty on any given day-they suspected that the real queen wasn't at the base. Later Panaka did convince them that they had the real Queen and the message was from handmaiden Padmé."   
  
Amidala plopped onto a wooden bench in a niche besides the path and pulled him down next to her. Anakin hesitated; mumbling something about preferring his warm bed instead, then slumped heavily besides her.  
  
"Anakin!" Amidala said softly as she took his hand in hers, "Yes! Love!" He replied rubbing her cold hands to make them warm.  
  
She sighed heavily, "I think I've said this before, but a lot will change when we get to the base." Anakin looked at her puzzled."   
  
"Why! You'll still be Padmé and I am your husband now, why should anything change?"  
  
That is the reason; if you are Padmé's husband then it means I will certainly not be able to formalize your wedding to the queen after this crisis is over. If you are chummy to the queen then naturally people will wonder how they became close in such a short time-or they'll wonder whether we had something going on before all this-in both cases it would be unwanted publicity." She said looking up at him.  
  
Anakin sighed, and brought his forehead to rest against hers. "Does that mean that we have to behave like strangers once we get there?"  
  
"No! Just like friends!" Anakin knew what that meant, a few nods and a small smile was all he could expect from the queen as a friend.  
  
"I was counting on a few days together at the base too before you go off world." He said with a hurt look in his eyes.  
  
"It would be best if we avoided any scandals," she said in a gentle tone," She looked him, he looked crestfallen.   
  
"We'll get over it, darling!" She whispered as she pulled him down to her, pressing his head against her breasts as if he was a little boy.  
  
Anakin began to place wet kisses on her neck, which tickled her and she began to giggle. He pulled her up onto his lap encircling her in his warm cloak; she let her head hang back, her laughter echoing through the silent grove. Anakin's kisses progressed up her neck, then her chin, she moaned as he finally captured her lips.  
  
Suddenly he drew back howling, Amidala tumbled to the floor as he grabbed for his mouth. She had bit his lip; before he had time to react, she scrambled away giggling.  
  
"Hey! You won't get away with this you little…" He began to chase her; just as he was about to grab her she hooked her hand onto a tree trunk and swerved sharply out of his reach. In and out they ran through the trees, Anakin howling after her and Amidala squealing. They ran through the deserted village, through the courtyard and up the wooden steps, the heavy thumping of their feet echoing through the cool night air.  
  
Henna looked up from her dinner, her husband looked at her quizzically; she nodded to the guesthouse, which was in clear view from their hut across the yard. "It's the newly weds," She said with a smile.   
  
The lights in the upper room came on and Henna could see them clearly from the doors of the open balcony. The queen dashed by, her husband in hot pursuit. The two figures chased around the room dodging round the furniture, Henna could see them now in the window chasing round the bed. Back and forth, he chased, then with a blood-curdling roar Anakin leaped up, they heard a shrill cry as he caught her, the two went crashing onto the bed and disappeared out of view.  
  
The villagers shrugged at the strange antics of the city folks. Chief Wakabu cocked his head and listened. He wasn't sure whether his guests were in a marital discord or just fooling around. There were sounds of female protest then suddenly it became quite and moments later the lights went off. "Guess they're just playing," he said with a hint of embarrassment, to his baffled family, gathered there for dinner. Quietly they resumed eating. 


	51. Rise Vader!

Fanfiction 51  
  
Anakin stood straight, his hands raised in the air, as two warriors wound a 'capaline'-the traditional fur wrap worn by warriors- around his waist. Then they tied a thick leather belt around it to hold it in place. One side of the capaline reached the top of his thighs, the other side elongated down to his knee.  
  
Anakin felt rather self-conscious in the rather insufficient clothing, but Liane assured him that he looked the picture of a brave warrior and the village girls would probably swoon at the sight of him in this manly garb. Anakin rolled his eyes and thanked the force there would be no girls, he felt rather silly in it. But for once he wouldn't mind Padmé seeing him like this he thought as he looked in the full length mirror, puffing out his chest and flexing his arms, amid shouts of 'show-off' and 'that's enough' from his fellow warriors.   
  
"You folks are just jealous," Anakin said turning away. More than one strong arm pushed him forward irately, "Well very, very jealous." Anakin repeated as he pulled a spear from a boy near him and began pulling fighting stances with it in front of the mirror.  
  
Liane returned with a gold cloth that he spread across Anakin's shoulders, then led him out a broad platform. Anakin lost his gallantry when he saw the sea of heads filling the center of the village; the grounds were filled to capacity.  
  
The courtyard in front of the platform was full to capacity. The same set of haughty chiefs again sat in a neat semi circle of chairs set at the end of the platform.  
  
A small table covered in red velvet stood in the middle, Chief wakabu stood at its side, grinning at Anakin as his friends led him out. What the chief saw was a sober, serious looking man striding proudly towards him, and not the flippant young boy of a while ago. Leaving Anakin with the chief, the warriors accompanying him backed away, taking the cloak with them. The cool evening air brushed gently against Anakin's bare body.   
  
Anakin stood straight his hands locked behind his back as the chief, read a mandatory albeit short speech to the assembled chiefs and warriors.   
  
It was Anakin's Acceptance ceremony, a ceremony that every warrior had to undergo once he graduated from warrior training. This ceremony would induct him as a warrior and member of the Capa tribe. It is in this ceremony too that the warrior is tattooed with the emblem of his life partner as all warriors marry just after graduating.   
  
The graduation is a test of the warrior's strength, courage and bravery, in which he proves that he is ready for manhood and to take on the responsibility of a family. This test is held twice a year and the graduates are then married en masse within the next one-week. One day for each village where the graduate warriors of that village are married, then the next village and so on. The weeklong festivities would continue and culminating finally in the acceptance ceremony of all the graduates in the main warrior village.  
  
It was rare for a single warrior to graduate at any one time, except in very special cases where a particular individual had displayed extraordinary bravery or leadership. Anakin was special in that he had hunted three soraboo's in one day, a feat that may take months for other warriors, that too with the help of his fellow warriors, but Anakin had done it alone, plus the next ceremony would not be around for another four months and perhaps the fact that he was consort to a queen made him very special too.  
  
After the welcoming speech, chief Wakabu then went on to recount the acts of bravery of the warrior in question, the inductee was encouraged with war like cries and whoops from the crowd of warriors jammed in front of the stage.   
  
Finally the ceremony started, first two warriors walked up to the stage and proceeded to tie a black string with a small amulet attached to it on each of his arms-one for luck and the other to ward off evil.  
  
Then an old chief walked up to Anakin and tied a stringed necklace with two mean looking claws dangling to it, around his neck. The chief explained that one claw belonged to his first kill and other belonged to the soraboo that had been slaughtered at his bride's feet on the wedding day so that the goddess of fertility would look down upon her with benevolence-it was slaughtered in her name hence it became her first kill.   
  
The actual tattooing was the final act of becoming warrior and member of the tribe. This job was an honorable one, for eons a master thought his apprentice, who in turn thought his apprentice the skill so that the ancient art had been preserved and carried on for thousands of years.  
  
The old master stepped forward; he surveyed his tools spread on the table before them. The gathering fell silent as the old timer held Anakin's arm and began to chant in whispers as his eyes closed shut. He opened his eyes after what seemed like hours, then proceeded with his job.   
  
First he cleaned Anakin's arm with a special solution then he took out a piece of clothe on which the emblem Anakin had chosen was painted; dampening it with some liquid from a small bottle he pressed it onto Anakin's right arm. When he moved it off, Anakin glanced slightly side way and saw an impression of the emblem on his arm. The man then reached out for a needle tipped contraption and began to jab him with it. Anakin stood stiff as a statue, it hurt but not so much that a warrior or Jedi for that matter could not endure.   
  
The old master worked away quickly his apprenticed stood at his side handling him the tools that he asked for. Soon it was all over and the old man lifted his hand in the air to indicate that it was done. Once again, the air was filled with hundreds of voices whooping and shouting.   
  
Chief Wakabu was all smiles as he stepped forward to embrace the young man, welcoming him warmly. The chief unsheathed a small dagger,  
  
"Now you are a Capa warrior, we bestow upon you the Capa name of 'En Sol Vader', the fearsome hunter of the night." the chief said as he handed Anakin the dagger, Anakin thanked him as he accepted the dagger with a small bow.  
  
"Vader, Vader, Vader," The crowd shouted in unison, he turned to the crowd bowing lightly in their direction. Anakin examined the intricately carved handle and curved blade of the small weapon before pushing it into the empty scabbard on his belt.   
  
One by one all the chiefs' embraced Anakin and welcomed him to their fold. Tears stung Anakin's eyes at their show of camaraderie and acceptance. He thanked them profusely and told them that he was honored to be a member of such a noble tribe, he promised to uphold and honor the laws and rules of the tribe with his life.  
  
The ubiquitous drums began to roll and the young men broke into their frenzied dances. The minute the chiefs stepped back Anakin was swamped by a mass of muscled bodies as his friends tried to hug him at all at once. Whooping away-they pulled him into the fray of the dancers, he tried to resist but they were too many, soon he too was jumping and somersaulting away to the frenzied music. He was no longer conscious of the silly wrap around his waist. He was a warrior now, a man, and not a boy any more. 


	52. Welcome Vader's mate

Amidala sat brooding on the bed hugging her knees to her chest as she looked out at the purple mountains in the distance. She was lonely without Anakin. He had left early in the afternoon with the groups of young men who came to escort him to a certain ceremony at the warrior village. Anakin had not elaborated, just told her it was an acceptance ceremony, whatever that meant, and it was an all male event.  
  
Later Wainla the chief's daughter, along with a group of girls, had come for her and dressed her up in the traditional wrap of gold brocade. The wrap covered her body from her chest to just above the knee.  
  
"What's going on?" she asked Wainla when she saw the group converge around her.  
  
"It is the ceremony that will mark you as the property of Anakin Skywalker. You will be tattooed with the symbol that will depict your everlasting love and loyalty to your husband." She said as she pin in placed a golden brooch to hold the wrap snug around her.   
  
"Property!" Amidala thought her anger rising.  
  
"Me! Anybody's property!" She said her voice rising so that the girls stopped what they were doing and stared at her.  
  
"Yes! Wainla said, just like he will be marked as your property-No one can claim him till your death." She said, placing her hand on the queen's shoulder to calm her.   
  
"Weeeeeell!" She said sheepishly, "In that case I will agree to be tattooed."  
  
Amidala had seen the warriors' tattooed arm and she wasn't very excited about having a large famba or soraboo imprinted on her arm. But she wasn't in a position to decline as she had accepted the chiefs' offer to become a member of the tribe just like her husband.  
  
She sat on a stool in front of the large mirror while the posse of giggling and snickering girls fussed over her. One helped with the make up, another helped with her manicure and yet another was busy with her feet. Wainla was doing her hair.   
  
"The acceptance ceremony takes place a day after the wedding." She said taking another pin from her mouth and pressing it into the Queen's hair. "And it is an important ceremony in a Capa woman's life." She added.  
  
Amidala meanwhile had to choose her symbol, which would show her love for her husband. She didn't find the exact thing she was looking for so she took a stylus and drew her own design. A blue saber, standing straight with a string of rolla flowers spiraling around it from handle to blazing blade to the tip of the saber in lazy circles. The blue saber was distinctly Anakin and the flowers spiraling in an upward motion signified her lifetime vow of faithfulness. The tiny white flowers symbolized to the Capa faithfulness and loyalty.  
  
Amidala examined herself in the mirror; her hair was plaited in a neat braid, with some white flowers woven into it and she had on very light makeup which rather enhanced her clear skin and bright eyes. "Wish it could be like this in Theed too," she thought thinking of the heavy royal makeup she had to wear all the time as Queen of Naboo.  
  
For jewelry the girls clasped on two thin golden bands around each of her arms, a string necklace and tiny tear shaped earrings. A slender decorated leather belt went around her narrow waist. Amidala wore plain sandals at her feet to complete the outfit. When she was ready, Wainla pushed her braid in front so that it hung over her chest, Amidala could smell the heady fragrance of the flowers taking her instantly to that moment the night of the wedding when Anakin had pressed those flowers against her face. She flushed with the thought of him so close to her so much so that even Wainla noticed it and gave her a smile her eyebrow arched knowingly.  
  
Covering her with a stiff gold cloth the group led her to the courtyard below where the other women of the village had gathered. They had drums and sabools and they began to sing in unison to the beat of the musical instruments as the bride approached.  
  
The bride sat on a throne like chair set in the middle while the others stood around her. The girls folded back the cloth over her head so that Amidala could see the gathering clearly now. There was a murmur of admiration as her beautiful face with the spare makeup was revealed.  
  
The chief's wife came forward and made the traditional introduction, reminding the bride of her responsibilities to her husband and new family. A middle aged rather bulky women came and sat on the one chair besides her and gently drew the queen's hand to her. She open her palm and carefully and cleaned it with a kerchief and some liquid solution, then began to draw delicate and rather intricate design with a dark colored plant extract.  
  
Amidala cocked her head at the sound of cries and shouts floating from the distance, her body suddenly going tense with expectant danger. Wainla assured her it was the warriors cheering for the newly initiated warrior. She relaxed again as the village reverberated with the sounds of wild drums and cheering.   
  
The woman took out her tool and quietly went to work. Amidala held back the tears stinging the corners of her eyes as the women poked at the small print. Then it was over. The bride smiled as she examined it rather pleased with Tatooer's talents. "Thank you," she said beaming. The woman nodded back with a wide grin.  
  
After the ceremony, the women too danced their traditional dances and sang folk songs. Later they gathered at the long wooden table and had dinner under the open sky. Wainla and Amidala were sitting next to each other their heads close together giggling, as they shared their personal experiences. The rest of the table too was abuzz with the chatter of women, while the children ran around the garden playing games.  
  
Amidala was rather disappointed when it was time for her to go back to her room-to her desolate room. "I wonder when Anakin will come?" she thought. The wild cheering and drums indicated that the warriors did not intend to end the party soon 


	53. honey, look what I got!

Fanfiction chap 54  
  
She was back on the bed, patiently waiting for Anakin, thinking of the events. Her own acceptance ceremony had been short, shorter than Anakin's even though dinner was part of the ceremony, but Capa tended to have dinner early and to sleep early. Not the warriors she thought, they seemed to be having a fine time, if the drums were any indication.  
  
Amidala was dressed in the same traditional robe, the simple unstitched golden square of cloth that was wrapped around her for her acceptance ceremony with the sheer scarf draped around her shoulders. Anakin came late, accompanied by his wild gang, she heard him take his leave. Loud laughter pierced the quite air as they left.   
  
Her heart jumped with excitement as she got to her feet. "It seems like I haven't seen him for months." She thought.   
  
Immediately she threw herself onto the pillows, pretending to be sleeping.   
  
"Hey! Precious," Anakin whispered as he crawled up softly to the bed. He sat on the side of the bed and drank in her calm beauty, from the little light that came in from the courtyard and lovingly pushed back some loose strand off her face and grinned.   
  
"Okay Queenie I know you're awake." He said, as he stretched out behind her, wrapping his arms around her he pressed his nose into her hair, taking a big whiff of the sweet fragrance of the flowers. She smiled and opened her eyes.   
  
"It isn't fair to use the force," she said, turning in his arms and giggling.   
  
"So how was your day?" She asked twining her hands around his neck.  
  
"I missed you!" He said kissing her neck.   
  
"You expect me to believe you!"   
  
"Honest! I did… a little actually," He said winking, she rolled her eyes.  
  
I'm a warrior now he said, it was one grand ceremony I wish you could see it." He started excitedly. He flicked a hand and the lights came on. Anakin stood on his knees and showed her the tattoo first, flexing his arms so that the tattoo appeared to ride a heavy rounded bulge. But his young bride seemed more interested in his clothes than what he had to show her.  
  
She began to giggle, taking in his wrap. "My look at that!"  
  
"Looks good doesn't it."  
  
"I guess it's rather… sexy!" she said taking in his one exposed muscular thigh.   
  
She began to run her hand on the soft fur, but Anakin shook her and pointed to the something on his arm.  
  
Amidala grimaced at the sight of the rather big tattoo on his arm.   
  
"Oh Anakin, you look like a pirate," she exclaimed with a frown.   
  
"I thought it cool when I saw it on those pirates Obi-wan and I captured on Kachoum,"  
  
"Look closely, love!" He said pointing to it.  
  
She saw the Naboo royal insignia, with a blue and green saber crossed on top of it, a string of white flowers curled around the insignia at the bottom.   
  
"Why the green saber?" she asked,   
  
That is my master and this is me, he said pointing to the other one, we're her to protect you and Naboo. And this he said pointing to the flowers…"  
  
"Is the symbol for loyalty and faith." She finished for him. He looked at her surprised.  
  
"I have a tattoo too!" She said smugly.  
  
Anakin's eyes grew wide with shock and quickly he pulled aside the scarf covering her body.  
  
He rubbed her bare creamy arms, satisfied to see that it was not marred by any tattoos.   
  
She giggled and showed him the tiny tattoo on her little finger. He was rather surprised, but grinned widely when he saw the blue saber and the flowers,   
  
"Hey its lovely!" he said, as he kissed her little finger, sending a thrill down her arm. She pulled him to her and he let himself fall on top of her as they locked into a kiss. Anakin's arms went around her as his weight pressed on top of her, the soft smooth fur caressing her bare thigh. She moaned and let her hand wonder from around his neck to his hair, suddenly she recoiled and pushed him off.  
  
"What!"' He said.   
  
"Yuc! You're dirty!" she said, "What have you been doing? She asked testily, pushing him away from her.   
  
"It looks like you've been rolling in the mud."  
  
Anakin gave her an innocent look. "Well we were dancing. It wouldn't be wrong if I said I was rolling in the mud, except the mud was in the air."  
  
"Dancing! In THAT! Boy I wish I could see you," She said, her lips curling in a small smile.  
  
"I would have shown you, but not here because the floor would probably collapse besides I am too tired now," he said, flopping back on her.   
  
"Oh! No you don't! Young man!" She said pulling his seemingly lifeless head up by his hair.   
  
He let out a small ouch, letting his eyes drop, she let go and he dropped back onto her chest.  
  
"You stink!" she said, moving and pushed him off her, he just plopped onto his back.   
  
She saw that he had not even bothered to remove his mud-covered thongs, while climbing onto the bed. With a scowl she crawled over and removed them, throwing them into the far corner with disgust, the pattern of the thongs were set on his feet where the dirt had not got to it.  
  
"Anakin either you take a shower or you sleep alone."   
  
Anakin opened one eye and surveyed her. "You're not serious!"  
  
She began to move from the bed.  
  
"Okay! Okay!" he said, wincing and groaning as he pushed himself up. Then with an exaggerated motion he half hobbled and half stumbled towards the fresher.   
  
She sat back on the bed with a heavy sign! Tomorrow the bongo would come to pick them up and this dream would end, she would soon have to face the harsh reality of her world. Worst! She didn't know how to tell Anakin. 


	54. darling we must go!

Fanfafiction 55  
  
Anakin leaned his head back against the seat as he stared up into the murky darkness of the water flowing over the bongo's cockpit bubble. He let out a heavy sigh, then looked at the sleeping face of his wife resting on his shoulders.  
  
He strengthened his hold around her waist and pressed her closer against him. Snuggling her head protectively under his chin he kissed her gently on the forehead.  
  
He did not expect her to get up soon. Last night after he'd come back from the fresher, Padmé had told him about the bongo coming to pick them up. Even though he had expected to go soon, the knowledge they would soon be separated jolted him.  
  
"Then I have to say good bye to you now," He had whispered in a small voice.  
  
"Tomorrow evening! Lover boy! We have all of tomorrow,"   
  
Padmé had countered.  
  
But Anakin had started his goodbye that night and it didn't end till almost an hour before they were to leave. They had slept little in between. Twice they had to take a break for eating and several time to refresh themselves.  
  
Still he was hungry for her, wanted her, desired her body close against his, that was the only time he was sure that she was not a dream or an apparition and that she was not going to just vaporize when he opened his eyes.  
  
Obi-wan sat in front next to the Gungan pilot and looked back at his miserable Padawan.  
  
"Anakin, try to get some sleep, It'll be a couple of hours before we get to the base. Your eyes are blood shot due to lack of sleep." Obi-wan said.  
  
"I'm fine Master, its not the first time I've gone without sleep for 24 hours,"  
  
"Only I suspect you've not slept well for the last week or so," Obi-wan replied.  
  
Anakin did not remember sleeping well since this adventure started. "What an adventure!" He thought. Somehow, he knew his life was never going to be the same again.  
  
************  
  
"Padawan!" Anakin heard his master's soft voice he blinked and looked around. It was obvious he had dozed off.  
  
"We're there, wake up Padmé." Obi-wan said as the bongo broke the surface of the water. The water dripped down the clear bubble and soon Anakin could see the velvet starry night sky of the Tahl Weil military base.  
  
There was a slight thump as the side of the bongo hit the wooden pillars of the small pier. The cockpit bubbles disappeared and the warm humid air of Tahl Weil hit his skin, he gathered Padmé gently in his arms and followed his master onto the pier carrying his sleeping burden along.  
  
Sabe-dressed as the Queen and her handmaidens were standing at the end of the pier waiting to receive them. It would not be odd for the Queen to come out and receive her handmaiden. It was common knowledge that the queen was very close to them they were like sisters. Since initially Padmé had been assumed lost or taken prisoner it was especially important to the queen to receive her handmaiden.   
  
An emergency medical team stood ready to treat the critically injured handmaiden. The grouped assumed the worst when they saw Anakin carrying the limp form of the queen towards them.   
  
Sabe hurried ahead, followed by the other handmaidens.   
  
"Is she alright?" She exclaimed, her hand on her chest. Anakin could see the panic in her voice. He thought the men around her would notice that she was too concerned.  
  
"She is fine," Obi-wan whispered, as he put a reassuring had on the young decoys shoulders. "She's just too washed up from trying to keep up with Anakin!" He looked over her head and winked at Anakin, making the young man blush. Anakin thanked the force it was dark.  
  
A couple of medics appeared out of nowhere and began to lift Padmé out of his arms and onto the stretcher that floated beside them. For a moment, he held onto her refusing to let go, he wanted to be with her as long as he could.  
  
"I can take her to her room…" He began to protest but let go when he saw Obi-wan nod to him.  
  
Reluctantly he laid her down on stretcher, careful not to wake her up and the two men began to push it towards the med speeder that would rush her to the infirmary.  
  
"She doesn't need to go to the healers," Anakin whispered to Sabe, "She's just tired like Master Obi-wan said. "She needs to go to her own room."   
  
"Take her to her room," Sabe commanded, the two men froze and stared at the patient-to them the comatose and frail looking girl on the stretcher looked like she could do with some immediate medical attention. There was a big slash across her coat sleeve, which looked like it had been caused by a blaster bolt.  
  
"Let the healer see her in her room," Sabe said. "Ruz! Lead the way," One of the guards nodded and marched ahead, the medic began to follow him, pushing the sleeping Padmé before them. The Queen turned to thank the Jedi; she thanked Anakin for saving Padmé's life. Then she took her leave and hurried away in the direction of the medics, her handmaidens scurrying behind her. 


	55. He takes my breath away!

Post no # 66   
  
Anakin stood there watching the party, his hands hanging limp besides him, until at last the receding group turned a corner and disappeared from view.  
  
Obi-wan put a sympathetic arm around his shoulders; it hurt to see the pained look on his Padawan's face. He remembered the exuberant Anakin he had seen in the village, then the boy had a twinkle in his eyes that was definitely missing now.   
  
Jedi lived an exclusive life in the temple and they were mostly shielded from the lives of ordinary citizens. The concept of love of a sexual nature was ignored at the least and discouraged as distracting at the most. Conjugal love and relationships required dedication to one being or one family, while the Jedi had vowed to serve and possibly die serving the entire galaxy. So when an odd Jedi did fall (in love) now and then he/she was usually overwhelmed by the emotional flood. The Jedi grew up in the solid Master-Padawan bond in which both master's and the Padawan's expectations were clear cut and well defined. Thus Jedi were not well prepared to face break ups or other disappointments that was part and parcel of such relationships. Obi-wan had wanted to shield his Padawan from such a disappointment but fate it seemed had something else in store for the chosen one.  
  
"It's for her good, Padawan," He whispered reassuringly, as he patted Anakin's shoulder. "Besides, it's not that you cannot see her ever. She will be here a few days," Anakin nodded wistfully, thankful for his master's concern.  
  
"No master! I must keep away from her. I do not want to embarrass her in any way." He said.  
  
"Anakin, you two will be together as soon as this war is over," Obi-wan said as he gently led his padawan to the barracks on the other side of the lake.  
  
"Master, do you think she will come back to me? Supposing her people are against it, or they find someone else for her. She is very dedicated to her people-she won't hesitate to give her life for her planet, if that's needed." Anakin stopped and looked in the direction of the royal block, where his love was probably being tucked in.  
  
Obi-wan rolled his eyes as he saw his padawan lagging way behind him looking back every now and then.   
  
"She'll be back, of course she can't leave her husband," Obi-wan was beginning to loose his patience. What had happened to his unflappable Padawan that he'd left to escort the Queen, back in Theed  
  
"Please hurry up!" He commanded in a stern voice. "You need to sleep or you will go crazy. Please gather your wits about and most of all do not forget who you are. You're a Jedi, remember." Obi-wan said between clenched teeth.  
  
"Yes! Master," Anakin said in that monotonous voice. One last time he looked behind him, somewhere in one of the windows the light winked out. "Sleep well my love," He whispered then turned around and hurried after his master. 


	56. Don't look at me like that

POST 56  
  
  
  
Queen Amidala, dressed in her combat fatigues, rushed into the huge hanger, where engineers and scientist were giving the final tests to the new star fighter 'The freepios-24' or F-24, named after the sleek and graceful bird that soared high in the Naboo skies, its jet-black plumage radiating in the sun. The F-24 would be the ultimate fighter that she hoped would give her small defense force a tactical advantage over numbers.  
  
Her booted steps echoed in the unusually quite, cavernous hanger. 'Maybe its afternoon and most of the personnel have taken a break from the hot clammy weather that is typical of Tahl weil this time of day.' She thought to herself.  
  
She had dressed earlier and had informed the handmaidens only as she left their quarters about her plan to check on the freepios project. They tried to protest but she was off before they could stop her.   
  
She stopped suddenly as she caught sight of a man stooped over a console in the middle of the great hall. He was naked from the waist up, the upper half of his flight suit hung down below his waist the empty sleeves flip flopping aimlessly as he moved.  
  
He wore oversized black gloves, which had connecting wire to the console; a pilot's helmet with black visors covered his head and face completely. More wire led from the console to patches on the man's chest, arms, hands and sides.  
  
Several long lengths of thick cables snaked away from the terminal towards a fighter that stood hovering in mid air about ten feet of the ground, the light in the hanger gleaming off its black body.   
  
She watched for a moment as he motioned his hands back and forth and then side ways, simultaneously the small craft too yawed and banked smoothly, dancing to the young pilots commands.   
  
Amidala watched impressed by the little display. But she was more intent on the man as he bent over the monitor and made some notes on his datapad then he proceeded to flip some switches on the console.  
  
"That's an impressive display, Anakin," She said in a cool modulated tone that echoed through the empty hall.   
  
His head snapped up and around, when he saw who it was he deliberately stood up to his full height, removing the helmet, he shook his tousled head.   
  
She almost gasped at the sight of him, standing there straight as a rod, his feet apart, one hand around the helmet as it sat on his hip, his muscular chest raising and falling in tandem with his breathing. They stared at each other for a long time.  
  
There was no need for words   
  
Amidala waited for him to show some emotion, but he just fixed her with his blues eyes, which seemed to be devoid of any expression.  
  
"Oh! Your majesty, what brings you here…Unescorted? Are you not mindful of the scandal it may cause, being alone with a young man-a half dressed young man?"  
  
She was silent, was he being sarcastic, she thought. She had expected him to be happy. But now she saw the pain reflected in his eyes. She knew how difficult it must be for him.   
  
"Anakin I…" she began,  
  
"How did you know it was me under the helmet?" He said interrupting her.  
  
"I can't miss that label, which proclaims you to be mine. Can I?" Anakin sighed as a reluctance smile tugged at one end of his mouth. He looked at the tattoo on his arm then shrugged.   
  
He tore out the patches from his body and was about to move towards her, when a flurry of footsteps alerted him to company. Quickly he shoved his arms into his sleeves and pulled up his suit over his body, zipping up the front and becoming presentable just as the groups of handmaidens and some guards led by Panaka walked in.  
  
Panaka seemed pretty miffed," Your highness it is unwise to rush around unescorted,"   
  
"Captain, Jedi Skywalker would like to demonstrate to me the excellent maneuverability of the new ship." The Queen said in reply.  
  
Panaka nodded knowing that the subject had been changed and due to protocol, he could not force it back; at least not in the presence of subordinates.  
  
"I am impressed with what I have already seen." She said. "I see that our investment has not been wasted. With such an advanced ship we can at last overcome the disadvantage of our smaller numbers."  
  
"Ye…es, your highness!" Anakin said tersely as he turned to the control console. After pressing a few buttons, he sat in the seat in front of the screen; he unzipped the front of his suit and attached the wires to the patches on his chest and neck. Then he wore the over-sized gloves. The onlookers stood well behind him, their eyes on the little craft as it suddenly came to life at the wave of his hands.  
  
Anakin had the little craft dancing to the 'ooh and aahs' of those present. The little ship banked, yawed, rolled and bobbed like a champion swimmer, all without touching the controls.  
  
"The new breed of Naboo fighters are interfaced to the human body so they can be controlled by mere actions." Anakin explained, "Mere movements of a particular hand, finger or even the head could convey actions which are processed by the onboard computer-hence making the craft respond more swiftly and accurately to the pilots every wish."  
  
Amidala listened patiently, she had heard all about it before, during their brief honeymoon, after all it was her husband's pet project-at times he'd almost driven her up the wall talking incessantly about his beloved freepios. Naturally, the only time he was not talking about it was when they were in bed together. Fortunately, she had discovered this early on after the wedding; whenever he'd slip into this subject she'd know how to distract him.   
  
The plane rose and then fell, just seconds before hitting the floor it rose gracefully up, up, to the roof of the hanger. Sache and Eirta bit their nails, while Sabe and Rabe furrowed their brows expecting the craft to blow out of the roof. Suddenly it stopped and banked downwards then turned to face the group, some of them scattered and some of them ducked-except for Panaka who stood like a pillar as the ship rushed past him, blowing his cap away. Anakin turned around to smile at him; he returned it with a small smile and a raised thumb as he retrieved his cap from the floor.   
  
"Don't know whether to be impressed with Anakin's piloting skills or Panaka's faith," Sabe muttered to the other handmaidens.  
  
Meanwhile Amidala's eyes were glued to the screen or at least that's what the others were thinking as she stood a little behind and to the side of Anakin's chair.  
  
In reality, she was drinking up the sight of her beloved as she watched him doing what he liked best. How much she had missed him. For five days now-it seemed more like five weeks-she had yearned and pined for him, the nights were especially cruel when the problems and worrying about her planet threatened to suffocate her. How she wished then to be with Anakin, to be held in his strong arms and assured that she was not alone. He was the only person in the world who could make the biggest of her problems just disappear.   
  
She looked longingly at the little patch of rubber stuck to the side of his neck and wished she could kiss him there.  
  
Anakin suddenly stood and turned around to face her. She was startled from her reveries.  
  
"What!"  
  
"He smiled, "I said will you like to try it out?" He said with a knowing grin as he slowly pulled off the patch from his neck. She nearly reached out to rub the small red spot that the patch left behind, but caught herself.  
  
"Do you think I can handle it," She said regaining her composure.  
  
"Absolutely! Your highness, it'll be like piloting a regular ship except you won't be holding onto any controlling devices. Besides I'll be with you." Her eyes widened, as did Panaka's and Sabe's at his last statement.   
  
"You want us to squeeze in that one seater?" She exclaimed in disbelief.  
  
"No! no!" He said shaking his head and smiling. Though he gave her a look, which said he'd love to.   
  
Anakin went one step ahead and sent her a mental image of her sitting in his lap with the both of them cramped inside the small confines of the F-24's cockpit. She shifted uneasily as she gave him a stern, don't-you-start-that-again look. 


	57. Naughty Jedi mind tricks

POST NO# 62 It wasn't the first time he'd resorted to this kind of teasing. Ever since they'd first bonded physically the two had formed a tentative mental bond-not as strong as a master-padawan bond nor even as strong as two force users, but they managed to convey simple images. She reminded herself that the naughty images Anakin cooked up to lure her to bed were anything but simple. One would be surprised at the degree of filth residing in a young Jedi's mind.

She remembered the day one of the Capa village woman had invited her to an all female gathering to celebrate the birth of her son. Anakin had tried all evening to dissuade her, saying he'd miss her while she was away and what a waste it was of the precious little time they had together. Amidala being the fair politician, and who had always shared her time and life with the common people, felt she had to reciprocate the kindness of these simple people by accepting the invitation.

She was sitting in front of the mirror, trying hard to pile her hair up, but she wasn't used to doing this alone. Anakin was lounging on the couch one leg thrown over the small table, sulking. Every now and then he'd release a gigantic sigh! Then look at her with those puppy dog eyes. She abstained from looking back at him, knowing what that look could do to her.

At last she gave up and called to him for help in her most charming voice. At first, he perked up a hopeful smile spreading across his face, which evaporated as soon as she told him why she wanted him. He began to turn away.

"Anakin, pleeease! Just once," She begged "I can't do this myself-and you don't want your wife to look like a joker, would you?"

He turned back to face her,

"Look I prefer you as you are what's the point of wasting so much time on a trivial thing as make-up when we can be together having the time of our life." He said.

"Anakin, I will be back soon, go visit your friends in the warrior village-it's just a matter of a couple of hours."

Grudgingly he uncoiled his lanky form and began to walk towards her.

"Okay I'll agree…

"Thanks, luv," Amidala added hastily.

"If you promise not to go today to that blaaamed birthday," He added.

Amidala slumped back hopelessly; she was still holding her hair in one hand and losing her patience.

"Anakin! If within the count of three, you're not by my side, then forget about me coming home for the night-might I remind you that the Capa take the birth of a child very seriously and celebrate till the early morning hours."

"Okay! Okay!" He said in an impatient tone and came to kneel behind her so that every time he sighed he sent a whiff of hot air brushing against her ears and neck.

Amidala ignored his sighing and instead concentrated on showing him how to hold her hair while she pinned the rest. Suddenly she got a weird image in her brains, she stopped, looking intensely at the mirror, slowly the image dissolved and she saw her reflection replace it-Anakin was looking at the ceiling for some reason. She wondered what was it again, that suddenly made the ceiling so interesting to him.

She took out the pin from her mouth and stopped half way, another picture flooded her brains, her heart beating at the vivid picture of herself, Anakin's bare form on top of her…

She shook her head and stared at the mirror, this time Anakin was starring right back at her, a devilish gleam in his eyes and a half smirk on his lips. Amidala realized it was one thing to be intimate with your lover and quite another to actually observe ones self from above. 

"Those rosy cheeks really suit you well," He whispered hoarsely in her ears, taking in her flushed appearance.

She shrugged and sat up straight calling on her royal will to compose herself again. Somehow, it wasn't working so well today.

She felt her hands tremble as she resumed pinning her hair. She sat up with a start when Anakin's hand brushed against her neck, sending a hot bolt through her body, when she turned to him angrily, he just gave her an innocent shrug.

She was loosing her patience and composure. Once more collecting her self she turned back to doing her hair, only to be jolted by yet another, rather vulgar image. Again, she caught the unmistakable mischievous twinkle in his eyes and that devilish grin.

Now she had no doubt, where the images were coming from, grabbing the wooden brush, she began to whack him on the head. Bringing his hands up to shield his head, Anakin made a run for it, guffawing as she chased him round the room, dodging through the furniture.

Anakin ran around the bed, she chased for several rounds and then without warning, he stopped and turned around so that she ran right into his arms, her momentum throwing them both on the bed. Rolling on top of her, he began kissing her. She resisted for a split second, then relaxed and finally sagged in defeat under his weight. The brush fell from her as she wound her hands around his neck. A moan escaped her as his lips found hers and she knew she would not be going anywhere that night. 


	58. More naughty Jedi tricks

POST NO# 63 Padmé sat rigidly in the pilot's seat while Anakin, bracing himself on one of the sturdy wings, applied the sticky small suction pads attached to each wire to her forehead and neck. Then helped her into her safety webbings and finally fitted her flight helmet over her head.

Padmé tried to ignore his blatant but innocent seeming attempts at touching her skin at every opportunity, she tried to ignore the tingles and shivers it sent down her skin or at least she didn't show it. She put her hands into the oversized gloves while Anakin dipped his head all the way down to adjust the wires on her boots that connected the foot controls.

All the audience down on the ground could see was the top of Padmé's helmet and Anakin's legs and rear. They did not hear Padmé gasp suddenly, nor did they see her eyes widen as something ran down the side of her leg.

She glared down and was met with Anakin's upside down impish grin.

"You behave yourself, Padawan!" She gritted in a low voice. She moved her hand out of the glove and reached down to push his hand away from her leg.

"This line has a small problem, your majesty." He said loudly as he caught her hand tight in his and raised his eye brows in challenge. "Ah! The cold Queen feels something," He whispered holding onto her hand. "Even through this," he pinched the clothe of her pant and caught a bit of her flesh making her flinch. Padmé kept a bland face so that the bystanders did not have an idea of the teasing game going on under the seat.

"Anakin, please! This is no time for games." She hissed. The visor was raised so he could see her eyes but the rest of her face was hidden by the helmet so that if she kept her voice low no one could see that she was speaking.

"I need to just brush the metal tips." He called out in a louder voice.

She tugged at her hand, making sure no one knew she was struggling. "Let go!" she hissed.

"NO!" He answered, "Call the guards, I dare you."

"You are in great trouble young man!" She warned all the while intent on the console.

He smiled and kissed her hand languorously, Padmé closed her eyes. This is agony she thought as his fiery lips sent flames up her arm.

"I am already in great trouble, highness," He hissed. "Do you have any idea how I suffer each day without you, dear Queenie? How long and endless the days are? And how much longer are the lonely nights?" His eyes grew distraught and his hold loosened on her hand. "You never should have…"

She suddenly pulled her hand away and it came free.

Anakin straightened, slowly; keeping his eyes fixed on her accusingly until the very moment his head cleared the side of the craft.

"I think she's ready to roll, Highness," He said clapping his hands as though to shake of the dust. He was now Anakin the engineer, his gaze fixed on the dials with not a shred of the mischief of a moment ago.

"So how do you bring it online?" Padmé asked still peering at the dead console and screen.

"Ah! Yes, this fighter will not budge if you don't have the proper authorization." He dug out a small datapad from one of the many pockets on his suit. "Luckily, I have the authority to issue it."

He took out a stylus and scribbled something on the datapad then held it out to her. "Put your thumb print here and I'll transfer the info to the main terminal." Padmé took the datapad from him. It was a pilot's request form for access to the F-24.

"Do you want me to show you where to put it?" He asked under his breath. But she knew; how could she miss it with the lines of instructions and crooked diagrams he'd jotted.

"My beautiful weezly cyaboo, press your lovely thumb here." He had written in one corner below the form, an irregular arrow, circumventing the message pointed to a dented circle where she was supposed to put her thumb print.

Padmé did as instructed and returned the datapad, her eyes on him as he his head bent to sturdy it.

'You need a cold shower, Lover Boy!' She had scrawled with her nail under his message. Anakin smiled to himself, giving her a side-glance. He pointed the datapad at the terminal then turned back.

"You are now one of the chosen ones, highness!" he smiled. Press your thumb against the white patch on the left of the console for verification. She did and the inside of the fighter suddenly lit up. The screen flared up with the Naboo security force's insignia and then the flight computer greeted Padmé and introduced itself, rambling on in a monotonous tone about the craft's specs and intuitive new interface.

But Padmé wasn't listening, not only was the freepios old history to her but the project had been her rival for Anakin's attention, even on their honeymoon she had had to use all her charm to keep her husband from drifting back to talking about it. What interested her, though, was the scrolling text at the bottom of the screen meant for ship to ship messages or feedback from the astromech droid.

A smiling ball came bouncing through knocking around an assortment of letters, the ball exploded and the letters lined up. "Sweet Heart, Will love to take a cold shower, but only with you."

Padmé shook her head, a reluctant smile tugged at her lips but she kept her gaze on the screen, she was having a hard time keeping this charade, she only had to look once at her lover to foil it. More messages followed, each more lewd than the first.

Padmé shook her head, "You don't give up easily, darling?" She wanted to ask.

"Jedi Skywalker, can we start testing the ship, I really don't have the time for full introductions." She said instead.

Anakin turned away from the datapad, which he was using to send those lascivious messages.

"Of course, your majesty!" He said his face a picture of an honorable Jedi. "Let me give you a quick start lesson to get you on your way." He bent slightly and pointed to the console.

"The green button is the main ignition, and the two blue buttons powers the repulsor lift and the auxiliary thrusters. We'll need to use those now as this place is too small for the main engines. Of course you could use voice commands to start the ship but..." He tapped the menu and the computer stopped its monotonous rambling and a menu with several choices appeared.

"At this moment, though, I want to demonstrate the bio-interface so we'll go on manual choice 2."

Padmé reached out and tapped the relevant button.

"Manual choice 2,"The computer announced, "This craft will now respond to bio-reflex commands only, to over ride…"

Anakin pressed a button and interrupted the voice and the menu cleared. "Now join both hands and press your palms together; be warned this craft is very, very sensitive to your every move, as soon as you press your hands together it's programming is initiated to respond to the movements of your hands and feet therefore you must not make any careless or superfluous moves with them."

Padmé froze then carefully brought up both gloved hands and pressed the palms together cautiously. Suddenly the auxiliary engines came to life, whining sharply, startling Padmé; her hands flew apart and the engines died down abruptly.

Anakin smiled. "You see! Highness, how responsive she is!" Padmé gave him an accusing you-could-have-warned-me-look. But he ignored it "Now try again." Slowly, as he instructed Padmé joined her hands and the engines came online again.

"Keep them joined, now push then upwards. Slowly." She did. "Make it slow; make it smooth and no jerking. Keep your hands close to your chest." Anakin instructed as the plane lifted slowly of the ground;

Light as a feather, she thought and smiled, "This is easy, I already like her." She looked over the rim of the open cockpit and caught a glimpse of the group of people shrinking away below.

"I wish you were so easy to maneuver." Anakin said as he straightened, towering above her.

She glanced up to give him a dirty look as he stood there balanced on the wing, his hands on his hips. "I wish I could use this glove to shut you down just like that."

Anakin chuckled, "Oh! You can shut me down just like that, all you have to do is give me a kiss and I'll probably be too dazed for the next few hours." he bent low, bracing both hands on the rim of the open cockpit, and brought his face close to hers.

The plane was now directly above Panaka and his group. They could not see the young Jedi as he was now completely obstructed by the underside of the broad wing. The noise of the engine and the height made it impossible for their voices to be heard, all this made Anakin brash and careless.

"Don't Anakin!" Padmé warned, as his lips touched her cheek. "Someone might see us!"

"No one will see us if we are quick,"He said as his hand came to her chin.

"No! Anakin this is no place for fooling." Padmé said chuckling as she used one hand to push him away. With a wrench the plane tilted sharply. Anakin lost his balance and fell back. Padmé's eyes grew wide in horror as she reached out to grab him, the plane squealed and banked sharply, almost vertical. She had a glimpse of small figures staring up at her then she caught sight of a black figure tumbling down helplessly and she screamed. 


End file.
